Complete Across the divide series
by SeSeesaw
Summary: Compilation of the across the divide series.Jack comes face to face with the people across the divide AU.
1. Chapter 1

Across the Divide

By Se/Seesaw

DISCLAIMER: Stargate SG-1 and its characters are the property of Showtime/Viacom, MGM/UA, Double Secret Productions, and Gekko Productions. This was written for entertainment purposes only and no money whatsoever has exchanged hands. No copyright infringement is intended. The original characters, situations, and story are the property of the authors. Not to be archived without permission of the author.

RATING: PG-13, little bit of swearing

AUTHORS NOTES: This is an AU basically because I like to play around with things. It hasn't been beta-ed so I am sorry for any mistakes. This is also a WIP which I don't usually do but since I've been very lazy about writing recently I thought it would be a good way into guilt tripping me into doing it. Anyway I hope you enjoy and please let me know if you think I should keep going with the fic.

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"Have you any idea what this could be?" Jack speared the anonymous grey lump and waved it under Daniel's nose.

Daniel hastily pushed Jack's hand away.

"You asked for it Jack you should know."

Jack lowered his fork and gazed curiously at his plate.

"Well I was told it was stew but it doesn't taste like it."

"You ate some of that." Daniel said appalled, his stomach turning at the thought of it.

"Well no." Jack admitted, "I was waiting for Teal'c to come and be a guinea pig."

"I don't think Teal'c would even try that Jack." Daniel sensibly pointed out.

Jack abandoned his fork and pushed his plate away and focusing on his coffee instead.

"If the Gould don't kill me, the catering staff will." He muttered.

Daniel snorted and added a lump of sugar to his own drink. His attention was drawn to two suited men who spoke hurriedly as they swept from the room.

"So what exactly is going on Jack?" Daniel queried.

"Huh." Jack looked up and blinked at him just as Teal'c arrived.

"Hey T." Jack redirected his attention away from Daniel and his question.

"You want some stew?" he asked hopefully.

"I do not O'Neill." He stated as he dropped his fruit and Jell-O laden tray onto the table and pulled up a chair.

Jack looked disappointed but before he could cajole Teal'c into eating his excuse of a dinner, Daniel reiterated his question.

"So what's going on Jack? All the men in suits." He expanded when Jack's face remained blank.

"The NID or someone or another is trying to get their own team sent off world. Hammond's not too big on the idea."

"It would be most unwise to allow an inexperienced team through the gate." Teal'c added.

"Yeah well it won't stop them trying." Jack said disinterestedly.

"So do you think they'll be allowed, I mean surely Hammond has the last say."

Jack shrugged, "He's under some pretty nasty pressure to let them."

"And what is your opinion on the matter O'Neill?" Teal'c asked his head cocked to one side.

"I say let them go. The less NID agents on this planet the better." He said flippantly.

"Surely you can't believe that Jack." Daniel exploded.

Why was it, Jack thought, that Daniel nearly always sounded, exasperated when talking to him.

"Doesn't really matter if I do Daniel, I don't have any say in the matter." Jack finished the conversation, adding a glare for good measure.

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"So they're going forward with it." Colonel O'Neill's gruff voice asked, as the man himself appeared beside him.

"Backed us into a corner on this one, had to let them go through." The General's displeasure seeped into his voice.

Another chevron glowed red in the room below them.

"You reckin' they'll stay on PX-3901?" Jack voiced the General's own thoughts.

"There's nothing of value on that planet, what ever they're after its not there."

"And I don't suppose we've any idea what they're after."

The general didn't answer his question; he turned away from the window as the 7th chevron locked bringing the gate to life.

"Should we worry about this?" Jack still faced the window but the General could see his displeasure reflected on the surface.

"Maybe." The General answered as he sat in his chair and flicked open one of the numerous folders on the table.

Jack turned and watched him with curious eyes.

"The team they've put together are highly trained and have more then a couple of years of experience under their belt. I get the feeling one or two of them might even have some experience at Stargate travel."

Jack nodded to himself at the General's implication. These men may be the same as those involved with the second Stargate fiasco.

"I can't be certain on that. All I've been given on this team are names and some sketchy backgrounds."

Jack took a seat opposite the General.

"But.." he asked knowing there had to be more.

The General closed the file and looked up at the younger man.

"I recognise one of the names. Sam Carter, then Captain now Major."

"And the problem sir?"

"Captain Carter was responsible for creating our dial up program and most of the technology we use in relation to the Stargate on this base."

"Seriously, all the blinky light things in the control room."

General Hammond pressed his lips into a thin line at the Colonels comment but continued on.

"Yes, Colonel."

"I think I might be missing the point here sir."

"If the NID are bring the leading scientist on Stargate technology through the Stargate I doubt it's to go look at an uninhabited planet."

"The leading scientist." Jack sounded puzzled. "Shouldn't the leading scientist on the Stargate technology be working for us?"

"In theory, yes. But there was some disagreement and Carter never worked here again. The details are unclear, it all happened before I was assigned here."

"So what do we do now?" Jack got down to business.

"Nothing else to do but continue as normal and see what they come back with."

"Don't you mean if they come back?"

"Either way you're still scheduled for a mission to P234X at 11 hundred tomorrow." The General stood, their meeting completed. Jack mimicked him and they both departed, while down below them an unknown team left through the Stargate.

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Daniel glanced up from his notes that he collected fromSg-1's two day mission toP234X as the red light above his door flash and the all too familiar announcement shattered the quiet of his lab.

"Unauthorised off world activity."

Bored with what he was doing Daniel decided to make his way to the control room to see what was going on.

The iris was sliding over the gate as Daniel reached the room. Glancing down below him he could make out a lone solider seated at the base of the ramp. He was quickly engulfed by medical staff and then whisked from the room. Turning to Siler he asked,

"What was that about?"

"We received Sg-5's IDC but only one of them came through."

"Were they over due?" Daniel asked worriedly.

"They're not scheduled to be back for another 4 hours."

"Where's the General?" Daniel knew he would be somewhere near by.

"He was in the gate room, he's probably following on to the infirmary."

"Thanks." Daniel said fleetingly as he hurried from the room.

By the time he reached the infirmary the solider he had previously seen was laid out on a bed with an IV in his arm. He was bleeding from a cut above his left eye and looked a little worse for wear but he was lucid and talking to General Hammond and Jack.

"A minor Gould sir, not sure which, I say it was opportunistic if nothing else."

"Any idea where the remainder of your team were taken son?" General Hammond asked a touch of worry in his voice.

"Yes sir, I managed to get the address as they went through."

"Good work son, get some rest."

A pen and paper was thrust at the injured man and General Hammond turned to speak to Jack.

"Take Sg-13 and gate out in 30." The General ordered without hesitation before exiting the room, an airmen with the relevant gate address scurrying after him.

"Come on Danny boy, no time to lose." Jack slapped him on the back and nodded at the Doctor. "Take care of him Doc."

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The ground beneath their feet shook again and Jack glanced at the team beside him.

"Did you do this?" he demanded.

"We're a covert team." Colonel Klein spat at him, "We don't do grand exits, that's more your style O'Neill."

"It was all going fine until we bumped into you."

Of course that really should have tipped Jack off that something was amiss. Sg-1 with the help of Sg-13 had quite easily entered the Goul'd facility, in which they now stood, and liberated the remaining members of Sg-5. It turned out this particular Goul'd brought new meaning to the term minor and it was surprising some other power hungry snakehead hadn't killed him by now.

"I could say the same about you lot." Klein growled back.

Jack couldn't even hazard a guess as to why the NID were on this planet and in this facility. All that really mattered at that moment was the fact that they were in the way and slowing him down. Lucky Jack had numbers on his side and had quickly unarmed all four soldiers.

Jack squared his shoulders and was about to bite off a sharp retort when he was interrupted.

"The structure is losing its integrity sir. I don't think its safe to stay here."

Jack took his gaze off the leader of the NID team and stared in open surprise at the woman who spoke. She was blond with blue eyes that were focused on a large crack forming in the ceiling.

"Typical." Jack hissed, "You send a women to do a mans job."

Her blond's head snapped around and narrowed eyes, simmering with hate was suddenly focused on him.

The ground moved again this time knocking the two groups of people to the ground. The roof above them fractured with a loud crack and debris began to rain from the damage.

Jack quickly rolled to his left and caught a glimpse of the blond woman scrambling in his direction before that portion of the roof above them completely gave in. Jack covered his head and hoped for the best.

It was several long moments later before the noise died down and Jack looked up. The air was heavy with dust and he could feel raindrops on his skin from the chasm were once the roof was. He watched as a glider flew overhead and released volley of fire on a target he couldn't see. He was quick to his feet pulling his radio to his mouth.

"Daniel, Teal'c, come in." he ordered in a harsh voice.

Static filled his ears as he waited for a response. He pulled his radio to his mouth again when the static died and his ears were assaulted with spluttering. Gasping for breath Daniel spoke,

"We're all ok, Jack." He coughed loudly again before continuing, "Nothing more then some cuts and bruises."

Jack examined the large mound of debris barring him from his team-mates.

"Don't think I have time to get through this. I'll have to find another way out of here." He summarised quickly.

He watched as another glider flew.

"You go on to the gate and send re-enforcements if needs be." He ordered.

"What'll we do with the others?" Colonel Spade, leader of g-13 asked.

"Take them with you. Hammond will have them locked up."

"We're short one Jack. There's only three of them on this side." Daniel said sounding worried.

Jack's attention was drawn to slowly moving piles of rubble and watched, as a hand appeared, followed by a body covered in dirt.

"I've got the fourth Daniel, go."

Jack marched over and hauled the blonde solider to her feet. She was coughing heavily but seemed largely unhurt. Jack kept a firm grip on her.

"But Jack…"

"Just go Daniel," he barked as another explosion sounded in the distance.

Pushing his captor forward he raised his P-90. The light above him flickered and died plunging them into semi-darkness. Advancing down the corridor Jack kept one hand on his weapon and the other clamped down on the arm of the NID agent. In the distance Jack could hear shouting and very faintly the clank of metal armour. He pushed himself and his captive into a nearby crevice as group of Jaffa guards ran by shouting at each other.

Jack peered carefully up and down the corridor they had just run through.

"We should take a right if you wanna get out of her." A disgruntled voice spoke to him from the darkness. Jack stepped back and the angry face of the young woman appear.

"Yeah right cos you're a trustful source." Jack bit back.

"I would like to get out of here alive as well you know."

The two locked gazes for a moment and a brief battle of wills took place.

"What the hell have you got to lose?" She threw her hands up in the air.

"If you fall behind I ain't coming back for you." He said abruptly and jogged quickly down the corridor to the right.

Most of the battle seemed to be taking place at the other end of the building, the sounds of fighting growing fainter as they progressed.

Jack felt apprehensive. This was not the way Sg-1 had entered the building, he had gone completely on the word of his enemy.

"Are you sure we're going the right way." He hurled at the women.

She stepped from behind him and pushed open a heavyset door to Jack's left. Light flooded in causing Jack to blink rapidly and a light breeze to caress his face.

"Yes." She stated looking smug.

A gliders filled the sky and Jack saw even more troops running this way and that. 200 meters ahead was a heavily wooded area. If they got that far they could avoid the Jaffa attacking the facility, hopefully they were none the wiser to their presence.

"Gonna make a break for the tree line." He grunted not taking his eyes from the scene in front of him.

"It would be better if I had a weapon." His companion pointed out.

Jack turned to look at her and gave a brief, insincere smile.

"Right." He said before sprinting to the cover of a stack of crates.

He watched as the blond glanced briefly around before following him. They continued ducking and diving their way across the open space. Upon reaching the tree line Jack threw himself into the undergrowth. The woman soon joined him.

"Daniel." Jack spoke quietly into his radio.

Loud static followed by Daniel's voice, "Jack…"

"Daniel, what's your position?" he queried.

"We're holding the gate. Not sure how much longer we can hold out." Jack could hear the sound of gunfire in the background.

"We're on the opposite side of the compound in the tree line. I don't think I can make it back to the gate. Head through and get re-enforcements.: He spoke decisively.

"Jack, we can't leave you behind." Daniel automatically responded.

"Go Daniel, you can't do any more at the moment." Jack was annoyed; this wasn't the time for a discussion with Daniel.

"Jack.."

"Go Daniel, I'll stay in the tree line, they don't know I'm here." Jack's voice allowed for no argument.

"We'll radio when we come through, we won't leave you behind."

"Yeah, yeah Daniel. Just go." Jack dismissed his words but he appreciated them all the same.

The sound of fighting was drawing nearer and then a very familiar sound pierced the air. The loud horn of the tracking Jaffa sent a chill through Jack.

"Aww crap." Jack muttered.

"What was that?"

"We have to move." Jack pulled himself up into a crouching position ignoring her question.

She didn't question him any more, her training obviously kicking in, as they moved further into the woods trying to stay as low as possible.


	2. Chapter 2

Across the Divide: Touch and Go

By Se/Seesaw

DISCLAIMER: Stargate SG-1 and its characters are the property of Showtime/Viacom, MGM/UA, Double Secret Productions, and Gekko Productions. This was written for entertainment purposes only and no money whatsoever has exchanged hands. No copyright infringement is intended. The original characters, situations, and story are the property of the authors. Not to be archived without permission of the author.

RATING: PG-13, little bit of violence

SEQUEL: Across the divide

AUTHORS NOTES: This is an AU basically because I like to play around with things. It hasn't been beta-ed so I am sorry for any mistakes. This is the second in this series and is a WIP so with a bit of luck there'll be more to come. Anyway I hope you enjoy and please let me know if you think I should keep going with the fic.

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Jack's senses were on high alert. For the past two hours he had ducked and dived through the woodland and still the Jaffa seemed always at his back. He paused, crouching behind a tree trunk, watching as the blond did the same at a neighbouring tree. He tried to control his breathing, his lungs burning. By his estimation nightfall was fast approaching and with a bit of luck they would shake their pursuers in the dark.

He was still hopeful that that the Jaffa were unaware of their identity. With a bit of luck, and he figured he was owed a little, they were simply tracking down any escaped prisoners with the hope that they were of value. It just happened to be their scent that the Jaffa picked up.

"These guys are pretty hard to lose." A soft female voice spoke into the thick air.

"Yeah. They're like that." Jack glanced around him, his field of vision hugely reduced by the foliage around them.

"I lost track of them. They've been due west of us for the last 10 minutes."

"Yeah." She was good, Jack would give her that. "I've lost them too."

This wasn't really something he was proud to admit, particularly since Jaffa tended towards the large and clanking kind of armour, making them much easier to spot. Since there was a good inch of leaf coverage on the ground it helped to muffle any clanking like sounds. He glanced around him again. The orange glow of the dying sun filtered through the treetops here and there making the trees glow and dappling the ground with bright spots.

"We can't stay here." He spoke more to himself then his companion. It would help if he knew what direction was away from the Jaffa but life, especially Jack's life, was never that simple. Moving was better then sitting around like ducks.

"Right."

He began to move forward again, doing his best to avoid making noise. He sensed the blond behind him and had learnt by now she had the sense to copy his actions. He caught a brief movement to his left before pain erupted through his head. He fell heavily as his vision swam. He blinked and pressed his palm to his left temple, his fingers came away sticky with blood. His brain registered that there was a low throbbing in his knee but it was soon forgotten when he opened his eyes.

The end of the staff weapon lit up ominously above him and Jack slowly raised his hands into the air. The Jaffa holding it let off a harsh volley of incomprehensible words and gestured angrily at Jack's P-90.

Presuming that the Jaffa wanted him to drop his gun Jack did just that, slowly unclipping the gun and dropping the P-90 a short distance away. Quickly he glanced around but there was no sign of the blond. Probably took the opportunity to escape he surmised. The Jaffa advanced slowly towards Jack's gun and Jack himself.

Adrenaline pumped through Jack's body as his fight or flight instinct kicked in. The Jaffa was eyeing the gun now, deciding wheatear to retrieve it or not. The staff weapon was inches from Jack's chest. As the Jaffa's eyes shifted once more to the P-90, Jack moved. He grabbed the end of the staff weapon and threw his weight forward.

The Jaffa stepped back to regain his balance and Jack threw himself to his right. He felt the heat off the staff weapon on his face before a pain spasmed in his shoulder. A second shot flew into the trees above as Jack scrambled for cover. Leaves and wood rained down from above but Jack didn't notice them.

The Jaffa covered his head to shield himself from debris and Jack took the chance to go on the offence. Again he grabbed the butt of the staff weapon and stepped forward forcing the opposite end into the Jaffa's stomach. As he doubled over in pain Jack delivered a swift knee to the Jaffa's head causing him to drop to the ground. Jack took a step towards his P-90 but he never made it. The Jaffa on the ground swept Jack's legs from under him in a swift kick. Jack fell heavily forcing all the air from his lungs.. Quickly getting his bearings he rolled over and tried to crawl to his gun.

He heard the Jaffa grunt behind him as he pulled himself to his feet. Jack pushed himself forward and scrambled through the leafy ground. He desperately felt for the cold bite of metal against his skin but to no avail. He heard heavy footfalls behind him and the snap of a staff weapon engaging.

Jack turned to face his murder. A cruel smile twisted at the Jaffa's mouth and disappointment briefly swept through Jack at the thought that this would be the last face he ever saw.

Jack heard the click of a safely being flicked off before the Jaffa did, more accustomed to the sound. Confusion, rather then pain, was the first emotion across the Jaffa's face as the first bullet passed through his body. He didn't have time to register any other emotions as the first bullet was followed in quick succession by a second and third.

As the lifeless body of the Jaffa fell to the ground a tall slim figure was revealed. The blond stepped forward and kicked the staff weapon into the undergrowth. She nudged the body with the toe of her boot, the barrel of the P-90 still trained on the unmoving figure. When she was sure he was not breathing her eyes moved towards Jack, as did the barrel of the gun.

Slowly, without taking her eyes from him, she bent down and unhooked the zak from the Jaffa's belt. She raised herself back up to her full height and took a step towards Jack.

He studied her face intently but could read nothing there. The gun was trained on his chest and the hard look in her eyes lead Jack to believe she was deciding weather to kill him or not.

Jack dropped fully onto his back and closed his eyes. At least, he thought bitterly, he was going to be killed by a prettier person. A few seconds passed and no shots came. Jack opened his eyes. The green foliage above him still glowed as the last rays of the sun hit it and somewhere in the distance a bird was singing.

He looked up into sky blue eyes above the of a barrel of his own gun. A brief smile touched her lips and in one swift movement she replaced the safety and dropped the gun so that it dangled from her right hand.

Cautiously, Jack raised himself to his feet and dusted himself down. He did a mental damage report and found himself a little worse for wear but still intact. He was aware of being watched by the woman before him but took those few moments to compose himself, he was definitely getting to old for one to one combat.

Her step forward swiftly drew his attention back to her. He watched as, with practiced ease, she flicked the gun in her hand, offering the butt to him. He queried her with is eyes but she refrained from answering. He took the gun from her, the familiar weight of the weapon instantly calming him.

"What a bout that?" Jack indicated the zat with a nod of his head.

"I'll keep it. This way I won't run out of bullets."

Jacked nodded once, not really in a position to argue, as he now technically owed her his life.

"We need to find shelter."


	3. Chapter 3

Across the Divide: Acquaintance in the dark

By Se/Seesaw

DISCLAIMER: Stargate SG-1 and its characters are the property of Showtime/Viacom, MGM/UA, Double Secret Productions, and Gekko Productions. This was written for entertainment purposes only and no money whatsoever has exchanged hands. No copyright infringement is intended. The original characters, situations, and story are the property of the authors. Not to be archived without permission of the author.

RATING: PG-13, little bit of violence

SEQUEL: Across the divide and Across the divide: Touch and go

AUTHORS NOTES: Have to start with apologies since I manage to confuse everyone. This is an AU basically because I like to play around with things and will make absolutely no sense unless you've read the to previous parts. So if you haven't I wouldn't bother reading much further. It's also been pointed out to me that I really should be adding in new chapters to the original fic but since I start putting each new part up as a new story I may as well keep going. The usual apologies still stand, i.e. this hasn't been beta-ed so I am sorry for any mistakes. Again sorry to anyone I confused, my head's been away with the fairies of late (I'm my excuse and I'm sticking with it). After all that I hope you enjoy…

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"You know I could help you with that."

Jack looked up sharply, he hadn't realised he was being watched so closely.

"With what?" he snarled.

She stared at him, unwilling to accept his act of ignorance. Jack ignored her in return and tried to rearrange himself into a more comfortable position against the cold rock face behind him.

"I have some medical supplies." Jack looked up at her again.

"It's not much but it might help."

Jack was torn, he was nearly sure he didn't want anything from this woman but he couldn't deny that the offer of medical attention was tempting. His leg protested again and he nodded, barely.

She was careful to securely place her weapon out of his reach while still within her own. She pulled his leg out straight, ignoring his sharp inhalation of pain, pushed two fingers into the small jagged hole in his BDU's and began to rip them.

"Hey!" He grumbled.

"What?" She glanced up from the growing hole in the fabric.

"These are my favourite pair."

"Would you preferre to strip?" She asked deadpan.

Jack, for once, was caught off guard and was left momentarily speechless. By now is thigh was bare, exposing skin that was already turning a purplish colour where he had the misfortune to land on a jagged rock during his tussle with the Jaffa. There was a gash smack bang in the middle of the increasing purple bruise that was causing most of the pain.

From somewhere among the thousands of pockets on her jacket the woman pulled a sterile wipe.

"I don't think you'll need stitches." She rubbed around the wound, the stinging of the antiseptic making Jack's eyes water.

"There's no major damage done, just some bruising."

"And a cut." Jack childishly pointed out.

"And a cut." She conceded, and if Jack didn't know better there was a smile in her voice.

Next she whipped a tube out of another pocket and started to smear cream onto the purple area. To take his mind off his leg Jack wondered where he could get a jacket like that.

"This should keep the swelling and bruising down, help you to move around a bit more easily." She sat back on her heels and began rooting around her remaining pockets.

"Right." Jack couldn't really bring himself to thank her.

"Swallow these." She held out her hand, two small tablets nestled in her palm.

Jack eyed the tablets, and then the woman before him suspiciously.

"It's a mild painkiller " Her words didn't comfort him. "Look, the only way I can get back to earth is if you're with me, which means it's not in my interest to kill you." She calmly pointed out.

Jack eyed the tablets again, she did have a point. Reluctantly he swallowed them while she continued rummaging through her pockets.

"What else do you have hidden on you, a needle and thread perhaps?"

She locked eyes with him, a naughty glint in her eye, "Better."

"Better?" he asked somewhat sceptically.

She grinned and with a flourish pulled a small roll of electrical tape from a pocket. She pulled out a length, tore it off with her teeth and taped his BDU's back together.

He couldn't help it; he smiled at her and at the ridiculousness of the scene playing out before.

"Electrical tape. You always carry that around with you?"

She moved back from him to lean against a neighbouring bolder, the zat once again cradled to her chest.

"I was working on something just before we left. I shoved the tape in my pocket, forgot it was there."

"Working on _something_?" Jack was curious.

"A reactor." She closed her eyes and leant her head back against the rough bark.

"A reactor." Jack was a bit surprised; it wasn't exactly the answer he was expecting.

"What kind of reactor?"

"You don't honestly expect me to answer that do you?"

He didn't really but it was worth asking all the same. The sun was nearly down and Jack was becoming aware of the chill in the air now that they had stopped moving. He longed to light a fire but he knew better then that. He should be glad to have found shelter that would keep the relatively dry. Even if the shelter did consist of a large pile of rocks at the base of a cliff face.

With nothing else to do he pursued conversation.

"I take it you're not just a standard evil hence man if you play around with reactors."

She opened one eye, her month forming a wry smile.

"I have a PhD in applied astrophysics if that's what you mean."

Jack was impressed; she hadn't struck him as an egghead. He was surprised that the NID were dragging an egghead around with them on mission. He knew from experience they tended to slow things down a bit and he couldn't imagine NID personnel being all that patient.

Her eyes were shut again but she wasn't sleeping.

"I take it you don't get out in the field much so."

Her eyes snapped open and she glared at him. "And what makes you say that?" she snarled.

"Well when I'm trapped on a hostile planet with only an armed enemy solider for company I don't take a nap."

She snorted at that, "You're not going to hurt me." It was a statement, an assured statement that riled Jack.

"I'm not?" he asked.

"You're bound by a military code which won't let you kill me."

"If I were to kill you, no one would know." He pointed out. "I could claim you were captured by the Jaffa."

"You're an all American Hero O'Neill, you're not going to kill me, you're bound by your morals as much as you are by military code. I, on the other hand, am not bound by either." Her grip on her zat tightened to emphasis her words. "Me being an evil hence man and all."

Jack studied her face choosing his next words carefully. "That's not true though is it?"

She held his stare but refrained from commenting.

"You could very easily have killed me earlier and I'll put money on it that you have a back up plan to get back to earth. The NID are far too slimey to get caught off guard that easily."

Her eyes briefly flickered away proving Jack right.

"So why didn't you kill me? Even you can't be naive enough to think you won't be imprisoned when you get back to Earth."

She drew her knees up to her chest, she too must be feeling the cold air creeping in.

"And how long do you suppose I'll stay in prison." She didn't look at his as she spoke, staring intently at her boots instead. " I'm far too important to the NID to rot away in a prison. I'd be surprised if I was held more then 2 days. The NID know some very powerfully people O'Neill, you of all people know that."

The whole situation left a bitter taste in Jack's mouth. A cruel sneer settled on his face, his anger rushing in like a tidal wave.

"You obviously have a high opinion of yourself and you obviously don't know the NID all that well. Loyalty means nothing to these people, they couldn't care less if you die in prison."

"I've been working for them for nearly 3 years, I know all I want to know about them and a hell of a lot more then you could even image." Her challenging tone irked Jack.

"You can't honestly expect them to care enough about you to…"

She spoke over him in a firm voice, "You don't remember who I am do you? If you did you might know why I _know _they won't leave me in prison or your custody for very long."

That caught Jack off guard and he frantically searched his memory.

"We met before?"

She chuckled humourlessly, no doubt at the mixture of confusion and surprise on his face.

"I used to work at the SGC."

"What?" Jack snapped.

"I was one of the lead scientists on the Stargate program for 3 years before you ever heard of it and I was there when you went through on your first mission."

Jack had no comment on that, the past rearranging it's self in his mind.

"I provably know more about the Stargate and how it works then all the scientists in that mountain combined and that's how I know the NID will haul my ass out of prison."

Lies, Jack told himself, it had to be lies.

"Right. You mean you couldn't get a job at the SGC so you jumped on the NID band wagon." His words dripping sarcasm.

Once again her bitter laugh broke the silence of the night.

"Believe what you like O'Neill, can't say that I care."

Jack's memory finally gave up a gem of information and a conversation Jack had with General Hammond replayed in his mind's eye.

"You're Sam Carter aren't you."

She made no comment but a muscle twitched in her jaw and told Jack all he needed to know. This was the solider Hammond was worried about. Sam Carter was a woman, a notion Jack hadn't considered. This fact did not lessen his anger or disgust for her.

"Why would anyone go from working at the SGC to working with lying, cheating, underhand, un-trust worthy, dirty dealing…" Once again she spoke over him, obviously unaffected by his stony demeanour.

"What makes you think I had a choice in the matter?"

Managed she managed to shut Jack up mid rant, twice in one hour had to be a record.

"I was told that I would not and would never be authorised for off-world missions and when I made a fuss I was pretty much pushed out of the program. It seems all you big boys in the mountain are scared of a little old woman like me." Her words were dark and bitter and spat at Jack with such venom that he flinched.

"You're telling me that the SGC was willing to sacrifice years of experience and knowledge because of your gender." Now Jack really didn't believe her.

Seconds passed as she stared into the darkness that enveloped them. When she spoke her words were soft but under their gentle veneer Jack could detect a streak of steely determination as she controlled her anger.

"This coming from the man who sneered at my team for allowing a woman to work with them not 8 hours ago. It's men like you and General West that are to blame…" she drifted off obviously revealing more then she intended, of what Jack was unsure.

"General West?" Jack questioned, she had some of her facts right he'd give her that.

"It was his order that lead to me being pushed out of the SCG. His order that led the NID to approach me, and his order that led me into this entire mess." Her words, Jack noted, where no longer bitter but resigned.

There was no doubt in Jack's mind that General West was a piece of work and that such an order, based on gender alone, wasn't past the man.

"He's not there any more. General Hammond runs the place now."

She turned back to him and Jack surprised them both with his next words.

"You could come back. If you're really as good as you say you are, Hammond would take you back."

Jack new it was very unlike him to offer jobs to potential enemies when stranded off-world but Jack's gut told him that this woman was different. Maybe it was the anger in her voice when she spoke of the NID or maybe it was fact that she didn't kill him when she had the opportunity. Hell maybe her pleasant bedside manner might have won him over but something told him that Sam Carter would be invaluable to the SGC, that she could be trust. He was right about Teal'c after all.

She sighed heavily, the weight of the world seemingly descending on her.

"It's too late for that."

"We could protect you if that's what you're worried about."

"It's not me I care about." She paused and Jack let the silence stretch sensing she had more to say.

"I have a brother. He has kids. Two. A boy and a girl."

She didn't elaborate and Jack didn't need her to.

"This isn't how I imaged my life would be. It wasn't like I knew about the NID before I joined. I didn't get a memo telling me that I would, in all likelihood, end up participating in illegal actives and having the lives of my family threatened if I didn't follow orders."

"Oh." Was the best Jack could come up with but she didn't hear or she ignored him.

"Have you any idea how frustrating it is to be refused something that you dedicated years of your life to because of your gender? Have you any idea how angry that can make you? I was furious and the NID approached me and offered me a way of continuing work on the Stargate, even possible Stargate travel. The fact that they were trying to take control of the Stargate program from the SGC was just the cherry on the top. Why should one of the most important discoveries of man kind be under the control of people who still held the views of Victorian society about the role of women."

She did sort of have a point in there somewhere but she didn't give Jack the opportunity to comment.

"I have very few options left in my life and leaving the NID isn't one of them."

Jack picked up a stone and began playing with it. Through the canopy of the trees he could make out the twinkling of stars. With no cloud cover Jack figured it was going to be a cold night.

"Let's call a truce." He decided abruptly. "I'm not saying I believe you but if we want to get out of this mess we're going to have to work together."

She nodded once.

"Right, we'll need to get some shut eye. I'll take first watch and wake you in 4 hours."

Carter stood up, the movement surprising Jack.

"I said I'd take first watch." He snapped.

"I heard." She replied just as harshly.

"Then why…" but he trailed off as she dropped down next to him and looped her arm through his.

"Really I'm flattered and all but I don't think now's the time."

She actually laughed at that. "Shut up O'Neill. It's going to be a cold night and I'll take heat anywhere I can get it, even if it's from you."

She dropped her head onto his shoulder and was asleep within minutes. A feat Jack found quite impressive. The wood was alive with the sounds of insects and scuffling animals but Jack was well used to distinguishing between the sounds of nature and the sounds of man. Jack hoped they had made a clean break from the Jaffa but there was nothing else he could do about it for the time being. He hunched further into his jacket and was quietly grateful for the body heat warming one side of his body. It was going to be an uncomfortable night.


	4. Chapter 4

Across the Divide: A walk in the woods

By Se/Seesaw

DISCLAIMER: Stargate SG-1 and its characters are the property of Showtime/Viacom, MGM/UA, Double Secret Productions, and Gekko Productions. This was written for entertainment purposes only and no money whatsoever has exchanged hands. No copyright infringement is intended. The original characters, situations, and story are the property of the authors. Not to be archived without permission of the author.

RATING: PG-13, just in case

SEQUEL: Across the divide, Across the divide: Touch and go, Across the Divide: Acquaintance in the dark

AUTHORS NOTES: This is an AU basically because I like to play around with things and will make absolutely no sense unless you've read the previous parts. So if you haven't I wouldn't bother reading much further. It's also been pointed out to me that I really should be adding in new chapters to the original fic but since I start putting each new part up as a new story I may as well keep going. The usual apologies still stand, i.e. this hasn't been beta-ed so I am sorry for any mistakes. I will probably do a sequel to this series whether it'll be a WIP or I'll just take ages and write a larger fic remains to be seen. Thanks to everyone who took the time to send feedback, huge thanks to you all.

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

The pitch black of night seeped into the woods as the sun set, blotting out the world. An hour or so after they went to ground the rain began to fall. The pitter patter of rain hitting the sodden ground and two people breathing were all that Jack could hear.

After her initial nap neither slept, too much fear and adrenaline coursing through their veins that at any moment Jaffa would appear around the corner. Cold was seeping into Jacks body from the ground beneath him and the rock behind him. Beside him he could near Carter blowing on her hands.

"So." Jack broke the silence, willing to speak to the enemy to take his thoughts off the cold. "What's the pay like in the NID?"

He heard a rustling of cloth as her head turned to face him and he could just about make out the look on her face.

He hadn't expected her to reply but she did,

"Not great, but you get a nice company car."

He had to chuckle at that, finally, an NID officer with a sense of humour.

Silence descended again but Jack was unwilling to let it remain.

"So what are the chances of you telling me what you guys were doing here?"

"We were looking for one of the prisoners."

Jack was momentarily stunned into silence and she continued on.

"We had Intel that he knew where some ancient technology was."

"Should I ask where you got that Intel from?" Jack asked dubiously.

"A Jaffa was captured and brought through the Stargate when it was in possession of the NID."

"And you believed him."

"He didn't really have the choice to lie." She muttered and Jack was surprised by the disgust evident in her voice, telling him all he needed to know about their information retrieval techniques.

Silence fell again, each contemplating the evils of the NID.

Once again the frigid temperature of the night made it's known and it wasn't long before Jack felt Sam's body shaking.

"We're going to die of hypothermia at this rate." He grumbled as he began to shift his body around to get the feeling back into his ass.

"Hmm" was Sam's only reply, her lips pressed into a thin blue line. "So usually I'd buy you dinner first but I hear that Jaffa catering is a little dodgy."

"What are… you talking about?" His breath formed puffs of white smoke in the cold night air.

Carter heaved another sigh and set a determined look on her face. In a swift action that took Jack totally by surprise she unzipped the front of his jacket and slid her hands around his waist. Jack winced at the feel of her cold skin through his shirt and T-shirt.

"Sorry." She muttered into his chest as she rested her head against him, her blond hair tickling his nose.

"It's ok." He shuffled around and pulled her body tighter against his until she was almost sitting in his lap. He held her tightly and felt warmth slowly trickle back into his body. The hands around his waist grew warmer and Carter held him just as tightly.

"So this wasn't how I thought my evening would end." He spoke into her hair trying to ignore the fact that it smelt disturbingly good. He was pleased to feel her laughing a little.

"Could be worse I guess."

"You guess?" Jack added, a touch of consternation to his voice.

Her felt a giggle pass through her body, the vibrations passing from her to him. He tightened his grip on her instinctually and turned a blind eye on the strange intimacy of the situation.

Carter was silent but Jack sense her stillness was only external.

"You think very loudly." He commented after the minutes ticked past.

She blinked as he pulled herself out of her reverie.

"You figuring out general meaning of life stuff or something specific?"

She pulled a face at him and then rested her cheek against his chest again.

"I was trying to work out our position in relation to the Stargate."

Jack instantly felt guiltily that he wasn't doing something useful with his own thoughts rather then reflecting on the oddness of his day so far.

"The prison was two and a half clicks south east from the gate. The best I can tell we've travelled west at least a click and a half, two at the most. As long as the woods continue, we can continue due north and be within the area of the Stargate by about noon tomorrow."

"Sounds about right to me." Jack didn't even think about it, he knew when he was out smarted.

"That is of course if we don't come across any obstacles."

"Obstacles?" He didn't need to ask but he did all the same.

"Ravines, rivers…."

"Jaffa." Jack supplied for her when she trailed off.

"Yeah, mainly those really."

Jack refrained from commenting further on Jaffa, he knew all he wanted to know about them and didn't really feel up to talking about them.

"You think they'll send reinforcements for you?"

"As soon as they can secure the gate they'll probably send a couple of teams through."

"Right." Her voice was a strange mixture of envy and anger. "That must be nice."

They chatted idly as the night passed about nothing in particular, both careful to avoid an issues of importance and yet both unwilling to remain silent. Jack was very aware that this was not standard procedure when dealing with the enemy but it just didn't seem to bother him all that much. She was not a standard prisoner. For a start she had willingly revealed why the NID were on the planet and what they hoped to achieve there. Plus, she really didn't seem to like the NID.

Slowly dawn seeped in and the darkness that enveloped them for the past couple of hours lifted. The green of the woodland appeared around them and Jack was grateful that they could move soon. Grateful that soon he would be able to stretch his stiff limbs and get the blood running back to his toes.

The harsh hiss of static shattered the gentle sounds of nature and caused both soldiers to tense.

"Colonel O'Neill do you read?" General Hammonds voice erupted from Jack's shoulder.

Jack was alert in seconds and in full Colonel mode. He released his radio from his shoulder and held it to his mouth.

"Loud and clear General, how's life on the other side?" It was Jack's way of asking if everyone was home safe and well.

After working with the man for many years the General knew just what he was asking.

"All safe and well here Colonel, what's your status?"

"Just doing some bonding with nature, General." He quipped.

"And the NID agent."

"She's here with me sir." Jack kept his comments short, unwilling to elaborate.

"We've sent an AV over the area, it looks like the Goul'd have withdrawn their forces. Any activity we've seen seem to be local population or escaped prisoners."

"That's good to hear sir."

"What's your position son and we'll come and get you."

"Well I'm not too sure on that one sir but if the Jaffa patrols have been called off we should be able to make our way to you."

The General paused, obviously thinking over Jack's proposition.

"If you're sure son." He was giving Jack an out.

Jack glanced down to be momentarily caught by a pair of blue eyes gazing up at him.

"We're not that far from the gate sir, may as well save some of the boys a trek."

"I'll send a team through to hold the door for you."

"Thank you General, I'll see you in a couple of hours."

"Report in every hour Colonel, safe journey home."

"Yes sir."

Jack clipped his radio back into place as Carter untangled herself from him and stood.

"You need a hand up old man." She grinned down at him.

"I'm not that old yet." He grumbled as he stood trying not to wince at the sharp pain in his legs.

The day was still grey but they had spent far too much time as it was on this planet.

&&&&

They travelled in silence, scaling rock formations and battling their way through undergrowth. Their progress was slow across the uncompromising terrain. They only spoke when they were forced to come to an abrupt halt.

"Ah crap. You think they could have mentioned this to us."

Carter stared at the swirling river before them a frown creasing her brow.

"I don't remember crossing a river on the way here." Jack went on speaking.

Carter pushed a hand through her hair and closed her eyes.

"There was a small stream with a crude bridge." She spoke, obviously recalling her journey to the prison.

"Yeah but that was a stream, this…" Jack pointed at what he viewed as icy water, "This is a river."

"It must split further inland into a number of smaller tributaries."

"That's just our luck." Jack was disgusted; he really didn't want to get wet, even if they were going to be back on earth in a relatively short number of hours.

"So can't we just follow it down stream to a smaller tributary."

"We could but then we may have to cross a number of smaller rivers."

"So one big one or a couple of small ones." Jack summed up.

"If we go downstream looking for smaller tributaries it could add a couple of hours onto our trip."

Jack wasn't all that keen on that idea.

"Besides this river isn't that big or deep it should be easy enough to cross." She cocked an eyebrow of him, "You're not scared of getting wet are you?"

Jack didn't like being provoked. That didn't mean he didn't response it just meant he didn't like it.

"Fine." He snapped and began to wade into the waters.

He was aware of her eyes on his back and the noise of her moving through the water but he didn't look at her. Instead he kept his eyes focused on his footing, keen to make sure only his feet and lower legs got wet and not the rest of him.

Jack had one foot on the opposite shore and was quietly pleased with himself that the water had not risen to above his knees when he heard the splash. He pivoted on the foot still underwater and barely kept himself from following Carter's lead.

He didn't bother restraining his snort of amusement. Before him Carter was hauling herself back onto both feet. Her entire body was drenched, water dripping from her hair and the ends of her jacket sleeves.

She was muttering some unsavoury words as she dragged herself to join Jack on dry land.

"Not one word." She scowled at him and began to promptly strip off layers of clothes.

She dropped to the ground, efficiently removing her boots discarding her socks and pulling her boots back on. She stood again and unzipped her jacket.

"Give me your shirt." She demanded.

"What?"

She dropped her jacket to the ground to join her wet socks and pulled her shirt over her head to reveal a black tank top. This too was wet.

"I want something dry, you shirt is dry. Give it to me." She stared at him pointedly.

"Say please." He teased, thoroughly amused by her discomfort.

She pulled her tank top over her head, leaving her standing before him in a modest black bra and nothing else. Jack's eyes were glued to her bare skin but not because of the expanse of milky white skin begging to be touched but because, stretching from her rib cage on the left of her body and travelling diagonally to her right hip was an angry red scar. The wound was barely healed, the viciousness of it still fresh.

It took a minute for him to notice that she was shivering but it was enough to propel him into action, quickly stripping off his shirt and wishing the T-shirt beneath it had sleeves.

"You going to tell me where you got that?" He asked as she quickly buttoned up his shirt.

"No." She snapped before turning away from him.

Jack was confused by the constant swing of their fledgling relationship, one-minute inmate, the next teasing and the next hostile.

"You must have done something fairly drastic to get that as punishment." He tried to pry but hard eyes connected with his when she finally turned back to him.

"It's not the ones that scar that I worry about."

She moved away from him briskly and he could do nothing more but follow.

The terrain finally levelled making their journey that bit easier. Again they travelled in silence, Carter in the lead, Jack following behind. He studied her back noting her tense shoulders. She was apprehensive about their return to earth but by the looks of the scar on her chest it wasn't the SGC's welcome she was worried about but the welcome wagon the NID would have for her.

Jack's radio crackled shortly after 13 hundred hours and Colonel Makepeace's voice erupted from it.

"We're reading activity 300 meters south west of the gate, any chance that's you O'Neill?"

"Roger that, try not to open fire on us when we come out of the tree line."

"We'll do our best O'Neill. Over."

Jack shook his head at the constant jibes between the air force and marines and managed to walk into the back of Carter. She had stopped just as the forest was thinning. Jack could just make out part of the Stargate sitting in the clearing beyond.

"I guess this is where we part ways O'Neill."

"I guess."

"It's been… interesting." She settled on the word carefully and Jack figured he'd been called worse.

"You do realise you're going to get arrested when you step into that clearing." He said as they the muffled voices of SG-3 filtered through to them.

"You do realise it won't stay that way for long." She was mocking him; he could hear it in her voice.

"We'll see."

"O'Neill." Her voiced pulled him up just before he stepped through the cover hiding them from sight. He turned to find Carter standing closer to him then expected. Before he could say a word she had moved and was firmly pressing her lips to him. Jack froze in surprise as her tongue briefly plundered his mouth.

Before he had the time to make up his mind to pull her closer to him or push her away she had stepped back. A dazzling smile was plastered on her face although her cheeks were tinged red with embarrassment.

She shrugged, "I was just curious."

"Eh." Jack's brain was still about two minutes behind and his eyes were glued to those lips and that smile.

"My life isn't conducive to second chances and regrets."

"Right." Jack nodded and tried to look like he knew what she was on about.

"You better lead the way, they might shot me."

"Right." Jack said again and instantly felt idiotic. He marched forward into the clearing to hide his discomfort.

He was greeted by 4 gun barrels but none where pointed at him. They were all aimed at the woman behind him.

"O'Neill glad to see you in one piece." Colonel Makepeace stepped forward and shook his hand.

Two members of SG-3 kept their guns trained on Carter as the third relived her of the zat.

"She cause you much trouble." Makepeace nodded at her.

Jack wasn't all that sure how to answer that one so he made do with a simple "no." He was grateful that the Colonel didn't push him as to why his prisoner had been armed.

Sam Carter was frisked and with a swift kick was knocked to the ground. One marine placed a knee in the small of her back while he secured her hands in cuffs. Jack tried not to wince at the manoeuvre.

"Ready to move out sir." The marine addressed both of them at once and Makepeace turned to the gate. Jack tried to make eye contact with Carter but she wouldn't meet his gaze as she was dragged back to her feet by two sets of rough hands.

"I believe there's a cup of coffee waiting for you on the other side O'Neill. Jackson said something about suicide mission strong." Makepeace informed him with a chuckle.

Jack was warmed by the thought of Daniel's extra strong special brew that he only ever made after particularly arduous missions. At least it was one thing he could look forward to, how to explain what went on over the past 14 hours with Sam Carter was a whole other kettle of fish.

&&&&

Jack felt refreshed. After his briefing on returning from his adventures with NID agents Hammond had allowed Jack to take the remainder of the day off. His wound was minimal enough for Doc Fraiser to allow him to go home. It was amazing what a shower and sleep in a proper bed could do for you.

A shadow fell over the report that Jack was idly flicking through. He looked up to find Daniel standing above him.

"Jack." He greeted succinctly before dropping into the seat opposite him.

"Daniel." Jack returned his greeting cautiously.

"There's been some news."

"What now?" Jack muttered, "Fleet of Goul'd ships here to destroy us, fleet of politicians her to bore us." He asked annoyed.

"Not quite that bad. It's about that NID agent you were trapped off world with."

"Carter."

Daniel frowned, obviously surprised that Jack knew her name. "Yeah, she was being transported to a high security facility yesterday."

"Yesss." Jack had a feeling he knew where this was going.

"Well she never arrived."

It had taken even less time then she had predicted for them to spring her, she must have been in custody for less then 12 hours before she was sprung.

"Let me guess they have no idea where she is or who took her."

Daniel nodded.

"Figures. What about the other agents you brought back with you?"

"They're being held in a high security facility but so far we haven't gotten anything out of them. I'm not sure we ever will."

"So it was only Carter that was taken?"

"Looks like she was the only one they wanted. They must have something big planned for her."

"That's what I'm worried out."

Jack downed the rest of his coffee and stood.

"What ever way you look at it Daniel it's not the last time we'll meet the NID." He picked up his report and headed to General Hammond's office to discuss this latest development. God only knew what the NID would throw at them next.


	5. Chapter 5

Rope Bridges

By Se/Seesaw

DISCLAIMER: Stargate SG-1 and its characters are the property of Showtime/Viacom, MGM/UA, Double Secret Productions, and Gekko Productions. This was written for entertainment purposes only and no money whatsoever has exchanged hands. No copyright infringement is intended. The original characters, situations, and story are the property of the authors. Not to be archived without permission of the author.

RATING: PG-13, little bit of swearing

SEQUEL: Across the Divide, Across the Divide: touch and go, Across the Divide: Acquaintances in the dark, Across the Divide: A walk in the woods

CATEGORY: AU

AUTHORS NOTES: I'm a dollar short and day late posting this fic but it's the best that I could do. I want to thank everyone for the feedback and suggestion. Be warned that this is an AU and will make absolutely no sense unless you've read the Across the Divide series. It once again, hasn't been beta-ed and as always I'm am sorry for any mistakes. Anyway I hope you enjoy and please let me know if you think I should keep going with the fic.

&&&

Jack was staring intensely at the letter clutched in his right hand. He looked puzzled.

"You alright Jack?" Daniel asked him from across the briefing table while they waited for the General to arrive.

"I got a letter from my ex wife." He didn't look up from the letter in question.

"Is there a problem with that?" Now Daniel was puzzled, last he knew Jack was on good terms with his ex wife considering all they had been through.

"She said it was sent to her in my name a couple of days ago she dropped it over to me yesterday." Jack put the letter down to meet Daniel's gaze.

"Read it."

He pushed the paper across the table and watched Daniel closely as he read it. The expression on Daniel's face would have been amusing if the situation wasn't so serious.

"This can't be good." Daniel spoke when he finished reading.

"No."

"Is this the letter you received regarding the NID?" Teal'cs calm voice intoned.

"The one and only."

"It was sent to your wife?" Daniel was growing more confused.

"Hmmm."

"Perhaps the sender thought this was a secure way to send this information to you undetected." Teal'c surmised.

"But wouldn't that mean someone was monitoring you mail." Daniel sounded unnerved.

"That's exactly what it would mean Doctor Jackson." General Hammond's commanding voice announced his presence in the room and he took his seat at the head of the table.

"But who would have sent this to you Jack, and why?" he frowned at his friend, this new information making his skin crawl.

"I can think of one person." Jack muttered.

"And who might that be?" General Hammond asked, snapping Jack's attention away from the offending correspondence and onto the General.

"Samantha Carter."

"The NID agent you were trapped off-world with?" Teal'c queried.

"Why would she send this to us? It doesn't make any sense." Jack didn't blame Daniel's surprise at the conclusion he had drawn.

He had chosen not to enlighten Daniel about the full events of camping trip with the NID agent. The situation was far too complicated for Jack to put into words.

"From the time I spent with her it was pretty clear that she was pissed at the NID and working for them against her will."

"Then why wait till now, months after, to help us."

Jack shrugged, at a loss to answer that one.

"Do you believe there is any validity to this memo General Hammond?" This situation did not sit any better with Teal'c then it did with Daniel.

"It would seem very unlikely that an NID agent could get a position here at the SGC. Everyone who comes to work here is thoroughly screened." The General reflected.

"Well then we don't have to worry about this." Said Daniel, ever the optimist.

"Unless they managed to get to someone who works here already." Said Jack, ever the pessimist.

"Oh." Daniel hadn't thought of that.

"Either way gentleman this information can't be ignored. Whoever sent this to us went to a lot of trouble to get it to the Colonel O'Neill undetected. I'm sure you can imagine how difficult it would be to get an internal NID memo out of that facility." The General stated grimly.

"There is not enough information within this memo to indicate who is supplying information to the NID." Teal'c pointed out.

"Can't we just contact this Carter woman and see if she can tell us more. I mean if she's willing to help now I don't see wh…."

"We can't contact her Daniel without the NID finding out which would just send the mole even deeper or get her killed." Jack was quick to interrupt.

"So why send us something that tells us we have a traitor in the ranks but absolutely no information as to who it might be." Daniel was annoyed; he had the vague notion that this woman was teasing them. Holding a much desired prize just out of their reach.

"Perhaps she will contact O'Neill again." Teal'c proposed.

"If this memo is genuine we can only hope so Teal'c, until then I've increase security on all incoming and out going information. For now, there's nothing more I can do." The General stood, their briefing concluded with little more knowledge being shared but a lot more tension felt.

&&&&&

Jack finally managed to extract himself from the mountain 3 days later for a night's sleep in his own bed. He eyes felt dry and scratchy from reading so many reports and logged activity of personnel on base. His back ached from sitting at his re-discovered desk for so long and their was a faint throbbing in his ear from the many hours he had spent on the phone and yet they were still no nearer to uncovering the mole.

"If there even is one." He muttered to himself as he kicked his front door shut behind him.

He carelessly dropped his jacket by the door and headed straight for the kitchen and beer.

He blamed his sever fatigue on the fact that he didn't pick up on the smells of cooking emanating from his kitchen before he entered it.

Sitting at the breakfast bar in his kitchen was no other then Samantha Carter. She was flicking ideally through his paper, sipping one of his beers and finishing of the remains of an omelette.

"You know you should shop more." She didn't look up from the paper she was reading.

"Did you keep me any?" Jack asked hopefully.

"Under the grill." She waved idly behind her.

Jack collected a beer from the fridge and found that she had in fact kept half an omelette for him.

"You actually found ingredients for this in my kitchen." He asked as he sat opposite her at the breakfast bar.

"Hardly." She snorted as she looked up at him, "I brought supplies."

Jack took a bite of his eggy meal and was surprised by how good it tasted.

"If you ever give up that job with the NID I'm sure we could work something out with you cooking."

She closed the paper and pushed it to one side,

"I'll take that as a complement." She took a swig from her beer.

"Correct me if I'm wrong here but won't you get in some sort of trouble for being here."

"That's only if I'm caught."

"What makes you think I wouldn't turn you in?" Jack asked pointing his fork at her.

"Because we've already tried that and you got to see how well that works."

Jack nodded in agreement and continued eating, very grateful to have a warm meal to come home to for a change.

"You sent us that memo didn't you?" He finally spoke after finishing his food.

"Yes."

"Eventually they'll figure out we were tipped off, they'll go looking for who helped us." He pushed his plate aside and tried to read the expression on her face.

"Maybe." She shrugged, apparently at ease with the idea of being hunted down by the NID.

"You're not worried about your brother and his kids?" He probed further.

She downed the rest of her beer and gave him a look full of distain.

"I've fixed that problem." She emphasised the word fixed.

"You _fixed _it?"

"I know a General who helped me out."

"You just happened to know a General, who just happened not only to be nice enough to help you protect your family but one with enough clout to do it." Jack asked in disbelief.

"Yes."

"You're not going to expand on that are you?"

"No." she began playing with the label on her beer bottle.

"But with the help of your local friendly General you're now free to help us."

"Something like that."

"And you're obviously going to help us un-cover the mole in the SGC out of the goodness of you heart." That elicited a chuckle from her.

"You know better then that O'Neill."

"Dare I ask what it is that you want?"

"I need your help getting me into the Academy Hospital." Now that wasn't what Jack was expecting.

"You want my help to get you into the Academy Hospital?" he repeated slowly.

"Yes." She returned to her monosyllabic conversation.

"You sure you don't want secret documents or a nuclear weapon?" he suggested lightly.

"If you want me to make it harder for you, all you have to do is ask." She replied in the same tone of voice as his.

"And if I help you get into the hospital we get…"

"I don't know exactly who the mole is but I can help you catch him."

"How?" Jack wasn't going to give this woman anything for nothing.

"Any new technology that's related to the Stargate or Ancient technology ultimately ends up on my desk. If you manage to narrow down your list of suspects and feed them slightly different false information…"

"You'll relay back what information you're given and we can figure out who it is." Jack summed up. "Sounds like that would work."

"Whoever it is in your facility has to be high enough up or the NID wouldn't risk approaching them, you should be able to narrow down your search fairly easily."

"And all you want is a trip to the hospital?" Jack's suspicion was rising rapidly.

"No, I need to get into the hospital and visit one of the patients un-noticed."

"I take it that the NID are watching this patient." Jack asked warily, wondering who in Gods name she wanted to bring grapes to.

"Probably."

"And is there a particular person you'd like to see or would anyone do?"

"Jacob Carter."

Jack blinked in surprise,

"As in…"

"My father."

"And would this Jacob Carter be a General by any chance." The picture was suddenly becoming a lot clearer all of a sudden.

"Just one of your friendly neighbourhood Generals." She replied flippantly.

They lapsed into silence as Jack pondered his options.

"I'll have to speak to Hammond."

She nodded,

"I'll come back here in 2 days, you can give me your answer then." She stood.

"What's wrong with him?" Jack spoke before she left, knowing it would bug if he didn't know.

"He's dying." And with that she was gone.

&&&

"It would appear that we would gain more then Samantha Carter in this transaction." Teal'c noted.

"We don't actually risk anything my helping her, do we?" Daniel asked.

"Nothing obvious, she's unlikely to hurt him and even if she was he's very close to death, there's not much she can do to him." General Hammond informed the group.

"So we'll do it." Jack spoke for one of the first times during the debate.

"We gain a lot more then she does, it would be foolish not to." The General confirmed. "I'll have to speak with General Carter first."

"I'll start working on some false information about the Ancients." Daniel offered.

"I'll start working on the list of people to leek information to." Jack added.

"I'll let you know if General Carter agrees."

"What father would not wish to see his daughter before death?" Teal'c wondered aloud.

"Somehow I don't think they have a normal father daughter relationship, T." As far as Jack could make out there was very little about the life of Sam Carter that could be considered normal.

"You know what you have to do people, you're dismissed." It was time for George to visit an old friend.

&&&

"Jacob" Hammond spoke quietly as he stepped into the dim hospital room.

There was no sign of movement from the occupant of the only bed. The room was bathed in a warm golden glow created by the setting sun filtering through the corn yellow curtains. The soft lighting seemed to effortlessly keep at bay the harsh realities playing out just beyond the hospital door. The sound of his footsteps was foreign and intrusive in this dimming world as he crossed the room.

George reached the side of his old friend's bed and pulled up a chair.

"Jacob." He repeated

The man in question opened tried eyes and turned his head to face him.

"George." His voice sounded rough and unused.

"It's been too long old friend." George leaned closer to catch Jacob's quite words.

"What brings you to this part of the world? Rumours of my impending death are greatly exaggerated, I'm not going anywhere yet." Jacob spluttered and coughed with the effort of speaking and George helped him sip some water to soothe his dry throat.

"I know you better then that Jacob, I came to ask you a question." George smiled at the stubborn sprit of his old friend that was strong as ever, even on his deathbed.

Still too drained to speak Jacob nodded for him to continue.

"I've had a request for your company."

"Yeah, anyone important?"

"Your daughter asked to come Jacob, Samantha wants to see you."

"Sammie." Jacob closed his eyes but not before George caught a glimpse of potent regret and anger in their depths. "She's still alive."

"It's your decision Jacob." George didn't want to put him through any more distress that he had to.

Jacob's eyes snapped open again and fixed on George with a sharp intensity.

"Tell her to come, I need to see her, there's things that need to be said."

"It's time for General Carter's check up, you'll need come back in half an hour if you want to continue." The arrival of the white clad nurse took both Generals by surprise.

George looked down on the pain-etched face of his friend and bit back a goodbye; Jacob would never stand for it.

"I'll tell her to come Jacob, she'll be here as soon as possible."

Jacob nodded and closed his eyes again, all energy sapped from his body.

"I'll see you soon Jacob." George let the nurse bustle him from the room with a heavy heart and a troubled mind.

&&&

"What, no meal this time?"

Jack stood on the porch at the back of his house. He breath formed white clouds as he spoke and his hands were jammed into the pockets of his jacket to keep the biting wind from his skin. Sam Carter was sitting on the second step down to his garden and appeared to be unaffected by the harsh weather.

"I won't be here long." She didn't turn as she spoke.

Jack slowly lowered himself to join her on the steps. Darkness was falling and the furthest concerns of Jack's garden had taken on a menacing feel.

"The General agreed. Daniel's making something impressive up about the Ancients to feed the mole."

She held out a small piece of paper to him, an email address was printed on it in neat hand writing.

"You can email me what information he's set up on this account. I'll email back to you what I get."

"And the NID?"

"They shouldn't be able to trace me from it. I won't go mad and email you from my home computer."

Jack took the piece of paper and jammed it into his pocket.

"It might take some time." She pointed out.

"I know."

"I need to visit my Dad soon, he hasn't got much time left." Her voice trembled as she spoke.

Jack had a feeling this was coming. She turned and made eye contact with him.

"I know you don't want to do this for me until you find your mole but I need to talk to him soon. If you wait to find this mole and he dies I won't help you."

"And I'm supposed to just trust that once you speak to him you'll still help us out."

"Yes. I just want to speak to my father before he dies, it's not that much to ask considering what I'm offering in return."

They fell into silence, both studying the darkening garden. Jack spoke first.

"Tomorrow at 14 hundred Jacob Carter is going to be moved to room 216. We've swept the room for bugs and it's clean. We can get you up by the fire escape; there'll be a few statically broken security cameras. You'll be in the room when he arrives."

"Thank you." She whispered into the cold air, and Jack noted a little of the tension left her face. He wouldn't like to guess at the kind of pressure she must be under.

"There's one condition," her piercing blue eyes were on him again, a weary look in her eyes.

"Someone has to be in the room with you at all times."

"That's fine." She was quick to agreed.

She stood swiftly and descended the remainder of the steps.

"I'll be here at 12 hundred."

He nodded and watched as she vanished into the darkness.

&&&

Jack shifted uncomfortably from one foot to another. The room felt too hot and too small and he most definitely felt like an intruder. The constant beep of the heart monitor by his side was comforting in its consistency but it did little to relive his discomfort.

Sam Carter was perch on the opposite side of a hospital bed to Jack. She was staring intensely at the man on the bed. To Jack's untrained eye he looked very, very ill. There were numerous tubes running to and from his body and a tube in his mouth that Jack guessed was doing most of the living for this man. He had not emerged from his deep sleep as he was transported from one hospital room to another and Jack wondered if he would ever wake again.

Sam ran a hand gentle across the older mans cheek and Jack tried not to see the tears shining in her eyes.

"Dad." Her voice shook as she spoke and she pulled her hand away to angrily swipe away a tear that escaped her tight control. The man before her slowly opened his eyes with what appeared to be a super human act of strength. It took another moment for his eyes to focus on the face before him.

A bittersweet smile broke across Sam's face,

"Hi Dad." She gulped heavily, "Sorry it took so long to come and see you."

Some thing flickered across Jacob Carter's face but Jack didn't know him well enough to read it.

"You don't look so good Dad." She whispered hoarsely and Jack looked away as she let her tears run free this time.

He knew someone had to be in the room to watch her, just in case. He understood why he was the one chosen but the tense situation made his skin crawl with discomfort. This woman deserved better then to have her grief monitored, her despair put on display.

"I wanted to tell you that I'm going to make this right Dad, I swear to God I will." The strength of her conviction echoed around the room.

Jacob Carter's hand tightened around Sam's. Jack didn't know if it was a gesture of comfort or a spasm of pain but it seemed to answer something for Sam. She tenderly brushed her lips against her dying father's forehead before pulling away from him entirely. A silently message passed between father and daughter before Jacob Carter once more slipped unconsciousness.

Jack gave her a moment to compose herself before calling in their escort. He didn't managed to speak with her again before she disappeared back into what ever hole the NID had her working in but her words stayed with him. Whatever debt she believed she owed her father obviously weighed heavily on her. Whatever she was going to do to make it right was far more then uncovering a mole within the SGC.

&&&

Jack took stood next to General Hammond and resisted the urge to throttle the man before him.

Colonel Makepeace stood before them completely at ease, confident that nothing was amiss. Jack balled his hands into fists and focused on controlling his breathing. How he hated traitors, those who would lie to your face, and undermine all you actions under the guise of a smile and a friendly face. Coward, ignorant coward his mind screamed at the neutral expression on Makepeace's face, but for once he kept his thoughts to himself.

Two armed guards entered the room causing Makepeace to look at the General's uneasily,

"General?" he shifted his body weight and tension shot through Jack body. Ready, if a weapon was pulled.

"I am placing you under arrest Colonel Makepeace for the discloser of classified information and endangering the welfare and safety of an American military facility."

"What?" Makepeace exploded angrily and took a menacing step toward Hammond. Instantly two guns were trained on him and he froze.

"Aw, give it up Makepeace, we know you've been feeding information to the NID." Jack snarled at him.

Makepeace paused, obviously considering weather to continue with his cries of innocence or not.

"At least they have the balls to do something with the information." Knowing that he wouldn't be confronted unless they really had something on him he didn't bother with pleas of innocence. "It's not like you were ever going to make any decent weapons."

Jack took great pleasure in forcefully spinning Makepeace on heel and tightly securing his wrists with a plastic tie.

"The problem with the NID," he hissed furiously in Makepeace's ear, "is that they're not very picky about who they use those weapons on."

The armed guards took an arm each and began to haul a furious Makepeace from the room.

"You're idiots the lot of you. You think this stops at me. This is far bigger then either of you, the NID will get the SGC and then we'll finally get the Goul'd. No more wandering around dusting rocks…"

"Get him out of here." Hammond ordered and the struggling man was dragged from the room.

"He is right." Hammond spoke into the quite left behind. "The NID won't stop with him, there'll be more."

"I know, but Makepeace rotting in prison is a step in the right direction."

"If Sam Carter ever happens to cross your doorstep again you let her know that we'd be pleased to have her working on our side."

"I'm not so sure we'll ever see her again sir."

"Well you know what they say Jack," Hammond clapped him on his back, "never say never."

&&&

Cassie shrieked in horror as the golden retriever shook itself before her, covering both Jack and Cassie is doggy smelling water.

"Stupid mutt." Jack muttered as he wiped ineffectually at the water clinging to his leather Jack.

Cassie giggled and stuck out her tongue at him,

"I told you not to throw his stick in the lake."

Jack grumbled some more causing the young girl to descend into another fit of giggles and the dog who caused all the problems to bark.

Jack could hear the tinkle of an ice cream van and thought it time for a distraction.

"Hey Cass you want some ice cream?"

Bright eager eyes turned to him but Jack was no longer paying attention to her, something had caught his attention. More precisely, someone had. He absently stuck her hand in his pocket and handed Cassie a note.

"Go nuts."

"Do you want anything Jack?"

Jack managed to drag his gaze back to her and give a weak smile; "I'm good but bring that mutt with you."

A bright smile flashed across her face before she turned tail and joined the other kids sprinting towards the tinkling music.

Jack brought his attention to the bench sheltered under a large oak tree and the slim blond sitting on it.

He made his way over to her slowly trying to compose a conversation in his head. He plucked off his sunglasses and smiled down at her.

"Carter."

"O'Neill" she returned the greeting but didn't remove the dark shades hiding her eyes.

Jack sat down beside her and waited to see where this was going.

"You get him?" she asked shortly.

"Yeah." Jack began to play with the glasses in his hands, "Colonel Makepeace. It turns out he thought we were a bit light on weapons of intergalactic destruction."

She pulled a brown envelope from her leather jacket and slid it across the bench to him.

"It's the surveillance technology they've put in place on your home and some others from the SGC. You might want to remove some of them."

Jack discreetly slipped the envelope into his own pocket,

"Thanks for the advice, I'll think about it."

"You do that." She pushed her hands along her jean-clad legs and made a move to stand.

"Isn't this going to cost me anything?" Jack asked her before she could leave.

"Call it a parting gift."

"We could still use your help, there's plenty more corrupt NID agents out there just begging to get their ass kicked."

She shook her head, "The NID know information was leaked, they'll find out it was me soon enough."

"Aren't you worried?" Jack asked puzzled.

"It'll take time."

"So you don't mind that they'll kill you just as long as it's next week." Even Jack could spot the flaw in this logic.

She stood, bored with Jack's banter, obviously done here.

"I'm sorry about your Dad."

That stopped her, "Thank you." She spoke so quietly the Jack barely heard her.

"These people aren't worth dying for Sam, I don't think he'd want that for you."

She sighed heavily, "Maybe, but these people have pay."

"The offer still stands you know, I even asked the General this time, there's a position at the SGC for you."

She shook her head heavily, "You can't do enough damage. There's too much red tape and politics in the SGC."

She pulled her glasses from her face and Jack winched at the red welt above her left eye to stare at him pleadingly.

"I'm not worried about dying Jack there'll be no one left to miss me. I'm worried they'll get to me before I can bring them down."

"There has to be another way." Jack stood and tried to think of a good argument to change her mind, where was Daniel when you needed him.

"You're daughter's coming." Her eyes were fixed on Cassie over Jack's shoulder.

Jack's brow was furrowed as he was momentarily thrown by her commenting before turning around and catching sight of Cassie.

"Oh, no, she's not my daughter."

She smiled at him and slipped her shades back on.

"I think she bought you an ice cream."

"Yeah," Jack agreed, "She's a good kid."

"I'll…" she nodded over her shoulder.

"You don' dying does actually achieve much. You can't expect to bring down the NID on your own."

"You'd be surprised by what I can do."

She stepped out from the shade of the tree into the weak spring sun pausing for a moment to let the weak sunshine warm her skin.

"I bet." Jack mumbled to himself.

She moved off, throwing an absent wave over her shoulder to him,

"You know where I am if you change your mind." He called after her but she didn't turn.

He watched her as she crossed the park, her slim legs eating up the ground.

"I got you vanilla with sprinkles cos I know how much you like them."

Cassie smiled up to him and held out a slightly melted ice cream.

Jack smiled down at her and took the offered ice cream and tried to repress a snort of laughter as Cassie promptly covered her face in a sticky mess of sprinkles and runny ice cream.

Jack looked up again but Sam Carter had disappeared, whether he ever saw her again was in faith's hands.


	6. Chapter 6

Crossing Over

By Se/Seesaw

DISCLAIMER: Stargate SG-1 and its characters are the property of Showtime/Viacom, MGM/UA, Double Secret Productions, and Gekko Productions. This was written for entertainment purposes only and no money whatsoever has exchanged hands. No copyright infringement is intended. The original characters, situations, and story are the property of the authors. Not to be archived without permission of the author.

RATING:Adult, containsswearing and violence

SEQUEL: Across the Divide, Across the Divide: touch and go, Across the Divide: Acquaintances in the dark, Across the Divide: A walk in the woods, Rope Bridges

CATEGORY: AU

AUTHORS NOTES: Although Meg has kindly offered to beta for me, huge thanks to her, she's AWAL at the mo and I'm heading off for New Year's and wanted to get it posted before 2006, so it's un-beta. Apologies for all the spelling and grammar errors. Be warned that this is an AU and will make absolutely no sense unless you've read the Across the Divide series and Rope Bridges. I know that this fic also ends a bit abruptly but I'll probably write an epilogue or something like that shortly. Anyway I hope you enjoy and please let me know if you think I should keep going with the fic.

&&&

Sam peeled her cheek off the cold concert floor and propped her body in the corner of her cell. She focused on her breathing and mentally counted backwards from a 100. She ignored the screaming of her body and the sticky blood drying on her skin and focused her entire being on drawing air into her lungs and slowly forcing it back out again.

Her death was inevitable, she knew that. Her prolonged torture and questioning were of no purpose, they were playing with her. Her betrayal had cut deep, destroying much that they had built. Her victory burned bright within her, helping her to keep her resolve to stay silent no matter what was done to her. It was that same victory that drove her torturers to escalate their violence, but no matter, it just meant her death would be that much sooner.

Footsteps echoed beyond the heavy metal door as a guard wandered by. She had long ago given up counting the days, not that she had the means to do so anyway. Her food came infrequently, the length of her torture varied from seconds to eternity. She regularly passed out, never knowing how long she was unconscious, never truly caring either.

&&&

Jack took a beer from his fridge and twisted off the cap with practiced ease. He padded through to his sitting room and threw himself onto his couch. He wiggled his toes appreciatively in front of his roaring fire before flicking on the TV. He flicked idly through his many, many stations. He paused for the highlights of some of the pre-season hockey games and took a swig of his cold beverage.

He mulled over his options for the coming day of freedom, his escape from the mountain was long over due and he couldn't decide what to do first with his day off. A flash of red across his TV screen interrupted his thoughts.

"We're sorry to interrupt your viewing but we have breaking news…" Jack wondered which celebrity break up merited a news flash when a picture of Senator Kinsey appeared on screen, a very irate looking Kinsey.

"Senator Kinsey was today taken in to custody under allegations that he was involved in covert operations with the NID. New information has come to light over the actions taken by this agency over the past number of years. When asked Senator Kinsey refused to comment however the police have indicated that they had a strong case against the Senator."

Jack choked on the mouthful of beer and coughed heavily,

"Senator Kinsey can be held up to 72 hours for questioning before he must be charged or released."

It was then that Jack's phone began to ring and Jack's down time ended abruptly.

&&&

Daniel was hunched over his mug of coffee with a bewildered expression glued to his face.

"So he's gone, just like that." He blinked a couple of times but didn't look anymore enlightened by the action.

"It's hardly just like that Daniel."

"Well I know that Jack but I mean, we didn't really have to do anything."

"Well someone did a hell of a lot of digging to get enough dirt of Kinsey. The man is far too slimely to get anything that would stick without a hell of a lot of work."

"Not someone, Colonel, Samantha Carter." Hammond revealed.

"Samantha Carter." Daniel asked surprised, "as in Jack's Samantha Carter."

Jack scowled at Daniel but refrained from commenting.

"Why are you surprised Daniel Jackson? Did she not swear vengeance on those who wronged her?" Teal'c pointed out.

"Well yeah but I didn't think she'd managed this, I mean Kinsey knows a lot of very powerful, very scary people." Daniel added.

"Are you sure it was her?" Jack turned to the General.

"Positive." Hammond nodded to a guard at the back of the briefing room who dimmed the lights as the large screen at the head of the room came to life.

Grainy black and white security camera footage appeared on screen. The footage was of an empty corridor, the date stamp on the corner indicated that the tape was 6 days old. A slim plain clothed figured appeared walking up the corridor, back to the camera.

"This is the corridor outside the offices of Special Director Michealson of the FBI."

"FBI." Daniel echoed as the figure on screen turned off into an office on the right.

"He's an unofficial watch dog of government agencies and some of the bigger private corporations. There's not much that goes on that he doesn't know about. And if he doesn't know about it, it generally means that it's highly illegal."

"You mean the perfect person to go to if you happen to have incriminating evidence on someone high powered, say like.. Oh I don't know, a Senator." Jack commented.

The figured reappeared on screen this time walking towards the camera, the black baseball cap doing little to hide her identity. The face of Sam Carter was clearly visible in the second before she moved out of the camera's reach. The screen darkened and the lights were brought up.

"Samantha Carter made no effort to hide her identity." Teal'c stated, a question in its depths of his tone.

"Isn't that a bit… odd?" Daniel asked the question for him.

"It is most likely that the remaining rogue NID agents will seek her out for retribution." Teal'c theorised.

"The tape is 6 days old, they probably already have." Jack concluded.

"In light of her recent actions the President feels that Samantha Carter may be a valuable ally to the SGC and has given us authorisation to search for her. Personally I think what this woman did was damn brave and she deserves to be thanked for it. I've obtained some basic information for us to start with, it's not much to go on but it's something."

Hammond stood and handed Jack a thin brown envelope, "Do what you can son? We can't hope for much."

"Yes, sir." Jack nodded and took the folder.

&&&

Sam was dragged to her feet by her hair to face her abuser. The metallic tang of blood filled her mouth as a wound above her eye bleed freely down her face to her mouth. She pushed a hand across her eyes to wipe the blood away in a bid to clear her blurred vision.

Above her stood a 6 foot 2 fair-haired middle-aged man with a malicious sneer across his face. How Rochester had managed to avoid being arrested Sam didn't know, what she did know was that he was one of the meanest sons of a bitch that she had ever met. He nodded to the man holding Sam by the hair and his fist was buried into her stomach.

She abruptly dropped to her knees and coughed heavily. Rochester squatted down before her so that they were at the same height and waited for her to catch her breath. He held her chin between his thumb and forefinger, forcing her to make eye contact.

"Poor Samantha, bloody and broken. How badly does it hurt, huh?" Sam struggled against his hold but he tightened his grip.

"Since you're not begging yet, you're obviously not in enough pain." He threw her to the ground and barked an order at someone behind her before he kicked her square in the ribs.

&&&

Jack swung the door of the apartment open and was hit by the smell of stale air. He stepped inside and flicked on the hall light.

"Shouldn't we be more…" Daniel spoke from around the doorway.

"More?" Jack turned to him.

Daniel's head peered into the hall, "I don't know, stealthy?"

Jack looked at him bemused, "We have the house keys Daniel."

"Well I know that," Daniel stepped tentatively behind Jack, "Couldn't someone be here?"

"What, like the cleaner." Jack kicked the stack of junk mail to one side, no personal mail, he noted.

Daniel shifted nervously on his feet and tried to make out if there was anyone hiding around the corner.

"You know what I mean Jack, they could be lying in wait or something?"

"For a week Daniel?" Jack threw him a distain filled look and wandered down the hall.

"Well you never know." Daniel muttered to himself before he scurried after him.

Jack pushed open the first door to his left and entered a living room. The room was bland; there was no other word to describe it. Beige carpet, white walls and beige furniture. A pair of sneakers were discarded by the side of the sofa and a half drunk cup of coffee sat on the small coffee table that sat before it.

Another, larger table stood in the furthest corner of the room. Nothing stood on the table but there was a distinct outline in dust. A computer, Jack surmised, long gone with its owner.

"There's nothing in the kitchen," Daniel called from the adjacent room, "just bare cupboards."

Jack heard him open the fridge and he decided to investigate the bedroom. He was somewhat disheartened to note the same colour scheme extended to the bedroom too. The bed was unmade, a pair of light blue pyjamas pooled at the foot. Jack pulled open the wardrobe to find a couple of pairs of jeans, grey sweats, and a couple of jumpers. Bare living, especially for a woman. He rummaged further but found nothing but a few more bits and pieces of clothes and a pair of black boots.

Somehow the lack of a personal touch sent a chill through Jack, this was no way to live. He sat down on the bed, and sighed heavily. This was a wasted journey; they would find nothing of use in this bare home to find Carter. At a guess, Samantha Carter didn't get to spend a lot of time here. Not that he blamed her, if he worked for the NID, he wouldn't keep any of his personal effects lying around, you wouldn't really want to give them any extra ammunition.

He dropped his elbows onto his knees and cupped his chin in his hands. During the movement Jack's boot came into contact with something. He peered through his fingers at the ground to see a book half beneath the bedside locker. He picked it up and smiled. Samantha Carter was reading 'The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy'. Jack pulled out the bookmarker and studied it in surprise. A much younger Samantha Carter and a much healthier Jacob Carter stared up at him. They had their arms wrapped around each other and were laughing at the camera. It was a picture full of life and happiness, all that things that the NID had robbed from her.

"You found something?" Daniel joined Jack in the bedroom

"Just a book and a family photo." Jack handed Daniel the book.

"Not very helpfully really." Daniel read flicked through the book.

"What's this?" Daniel peeled a post-it off the back of the book.

Jack stood and read the yellow sheet of paper over Daniel's shoulder.

"It's a phone number." Daniel stated.

"Knew they gave you a PhD for something Danny boy."

"I wonder who's number it is?" Daniel mused.

"One way to find out." Jack picked up the phone off the bedside locker and dialled.

&&&

Sam was in a different cell, it was slightly smaller then the last. This one however must have had a window that was boarded up because Sam could still feel a draft if she held her face close to the wall. The air was ice cold and like a knife on her skin, sharp and exhilarating. She liked this miniscule link with the outside world and she marvelled at her own survival instinct.

She had no reason to live, even if, and it was a hugely unlikely if, but even if she were to escape somehow, what hope would she have for a life. A normal life with family and friends. The only future she could hope for was one on the run, with no stability, no consistency. Life no longer held anything for her and yet here she was fighting for it.

She had hoped for death, longed for its release for so long, she made no attempt to save herself when she knew they were coming for her. She regretted it now, with hindsight she could have found another way, but her anger and hate had blinded her. The task at hand had been her one and only objective and everything else fell to the way side, even her own life.

Her survival instinct had kicked in and she was now clinging to life with all her might. Her death may be inevitable and largely of her own making but she would not go down without a fight. Even as she heard the footsteps of the guard coming to get her she held onto that thought with a grip of steel. She would not go down without a fight.

&&&

"Why are we meeting in a park again?" Daniel asked.

"It was his suggestion Daniel, how am I supposed to know. Maybe he has a thing for trees."

"Right." Daniel started playing with the collar of his jacket.

"Daniel for the last time will you stop playing with your microphone."

"Sorry." He said sheepishly.

A voice spoke into Jack's ear, "We have a male entering the park through the eastern gate."

"Someone's coming. Just stay calm Daniel, nothing can happen, there's snipers all over the place."

A small, round man scurried across the park towards them. In the dying light he looked like an overgrown chipmunk hurrying home. As he stopped opposite the two members of Sg-1 Jack picked up the scent of sweaty fear off him. There was an obvious bulge of a handgun in the man's long brown over coat but Jack was fairly confident that this man barely knew how to fire it. He was not a solider that much was clear.

"You're the men from the SGC." He spoke in a quite, hurried tone.

Jack nodded and sent a sharp look at Daniel to make sure he didn't say anything.

"So do you know where she is, do you know where Sam is?"

"That's kinda why were here." Daniel gave the man a pitiful smile.

Jack glared at him, damn man never knew when to keep his mouth shut.

"But you said… I thought…" the sweaty man took a step back and Jack thought it was a good time to intervene.

"How do you know Sam?" He, not very skilfully, changed the subject.

"I worked with her briefly on a project, we were in the same boat so to speak."

"You're from the NID?" Daniel looked even more uncomfortable.

"Yes, no, it's a long story and we don't have time, I only came to make sure that Sam was ok. You said you had information." He was getting shifty, ready to bolt at any moment.

"We figure the NID have her."

The round man turned green and wiped a hand across his sweaty brow.

"Then there's nothing I can do for her."

"But we can," Daniel jumped in. "We need your help finding her."

"I don't know where she is." He protested vehemently as he scanned all around them.

"You must know something." Daniel demanded.

"Look I shouldn't be talking to you…" he took another step back and Jack took hold of the conversation again before Daniel resorted to shouting and gave the nervy man a heart attack.

"Why are you scared? Most of the rouge NID officers are on the run."

"There's still some out there though, and they're angry, they'll pour that anger onto anyone they can find." And it wouldn't take much to find you Jack finished for him silently.

"Including you." Jack added aloud.

"Especially me if what you said is true, that all this is Sam's doing. Anyone who ever worked with her is in serious danger."

"And if we offered you somewhere safe to stay, would that help your memory." Jack bargained.

The balding man stared at Jack intently. "I'm not trying to be unhelpful, I really don't know anything and I'm offended that you're implying otherwise."

"Jack's right…" it was Daniel's turn to save the conversation. "We can offer you somewhere safe to stay until the rest of the NID agents are found, we could probably even help you start your life over again."

"And what would your help cost me?"

"Nothing, just tell us what you know about Samantha Carter, that's all."

&&&

Sam was feeling uneasy, or should that be uneasier. She had been left alone longer then usual and not just the beating had stopped but she hadn't seen or heard another human being for sometime. No footsteps past her door or food push under her it, just echoing silence and the gnawing certainty that something had happened.

She closed her eyes and focused on her breathing, and cast her mind far away from her broken body and battered soul. She imagined gentle sun warming her skin and fresh air lifting her hair, soft grass between her toes and the rustle of wildlife in the wind.

Blinding light penetrated the darkness of her closed eyes and Sam blinked her eyes open, her tried mind briefly thinking it was the sunlight she dreamt of.

A strong hand wrapped around her throat and dragged her up. Her body was slammed against a wall, forcing all the air from her lungs. Her feet fought frantically for solid ground but flayed ineffectually in the air. Her nails torn at the hand wrapped so tightly around her neck.

A face was pushed within inches of her own but all that Sam saw was the fury burning bright in the dark eyes before her.

"They have Kinsey you bitch! You've killed us all, you whore…" her body was slammed against the wall again but this time there was no air to force from her, "I'm going to make you pay for ever being born."

The grip tightened even more and Sam's vision swam, blood pounded in her ears and she wondered how much longer she could hold onto consciousness.

"Manning!" Another man was shouting. "Manning." Suddenly the pressure holding her against the wall and around her neck was released and she slumped to the ground. She spluttered and coughed as she dragged in lungful after lungful of life giving air as the two men above her argued.

"We need her."

"That bitch is useless." The first man, Manning, spat and took a step towards her, he was shoved ungraciously back.

"She's the only leverage we have and you know it. If they ever get their hands on us her life could save us."

Manning's lip curled in disgust at the other man's words but he didn't dispute them.

"Most of the men have run for it, the boss wants you to cover the side gate."

Manning's only reply was a grunt before he stormed from the room and Sam's cell was once again plunged into darkness.

&&&

Daniel placed a steaming cup of coffee before the man he now knew as Greg Watts. He sat down opposite him as Jack skulked restlessly behind him.

"So how did you know Sam?" Daniel started off with a simple question.

"We worked together on a project for a while." He sipped the warm drink, which seemed to be doing a lot for his nerves since this was his third cup.

"But you said she was higher up then you, how did you manage to cross paths."

"I write software programmes, she asked for my help on one of my programmes that her team was using."

"What kind of programmes?" Jack barked, eyeing Greg suspiciously.

Greg took another sip of coffee and the moment to compose himself.

"I write programmes that retrieve information from secure computer networks."

"You mean you're a hacker?" Daniel asked.

"You could say that, although what I do is far more complicated that your average hacker." He replied a touch aggrieved.

"Why did she need your help?"

"She was asking about changing some parameters of one of my programmes?"

"And why would she want to do that, surely she could just get you to do it for her?" Jack pointed out.

"I think she wanted to get some information that she shouldn't have."

"You mean she was trying to get information on the NID rather then everyone else." Jack snarled.

"Something like that." Greg answered shiftly.

"And you helped her design a programme to hack the NID." Daniel sounded surprised.

"Not the NID, Senator Kinsey." Greg corrected.

"And you didn't report her?" Daniel was surprised

"No."

"Why, were you and she…" Daniel suggested.

"You think a guy like me could ever be that lucky." He snorted ruefully, "Let's just say that we were both at the NID for the same reason."

"They threatened you family you mean." Jack surmised.

"I don't see why this matters, it won't help you find her." Greg changed the track of the conversation.

"You must know something, anything" Daniel begged.

Greg sat back in his chair and ran his hands over his smooth head.

"I really don't…"

"We'll take anything you've got." Daniel reassured him.

Greg closed his eyes for a moment and both men left him to rummage through his thoughts.

"There was a rumour…" He began cautiously.

"What kind of rumour?" Daniel lent forward, eager for information.

"It was just talk at the water cooler but maybe…" Greg's tone grew slightly more confident.

"Anytime today would be good." Jack cut in nastily.

Greg glared at him but kept going, used to constant insults from his former employers, "for a while there was a rumour that there was a compound in Alaska I think. That if the NID brought you there that you were a dead man, if they didn't kill you and you escaped the weather would get you."

"Alaska." Jack asked for conformation.

"I'm not saying that there's any truth to it but it's the best I can offer." He shrugged helplessly.

"Thank you, you can stay here for as long as you need." Daniel gave the man a brief nod before turning to Jack.

"We'll check for any property under the name of the accused NID agents in Alaska, it's something." Jack delegated rapidly.

&&&

Sam felt alive, for the first time in a long time Sam felt alive. Adrenaline raced through her body making her fingers tingle and her pain recede. Freedom called to her, beaconed to her, not that she had a particular reason to live but a Carter couldn't be taken down that easily. The thought of denying Rochester the pleasure of killing her was motivation enough for her attempt to escape. She was always good at focusing on the next moment rather the future; it was a good way of survivingin the NID.

She had been left alone for a long period of time again. Long enough for her to regain her wits. They were understaffed, she knew that much, which meant if she could get past the guard on her door she might be able to avoid any other confrontations.

She closed her eyes and waited, time was nothing to her now. She concentrated once again on her breathing, her well-trained mind focused on her upcoming task. Footsteps, faint at first, growing louder with each step. Her body tensed at the sound be she wouldn't move, not yet, not yet.

Her eyes were closed when the cell door was opened so that the bright light didn't blind her. She kept them shut as the footsteps moved closer,

"Get up."

She didn't move,

"I said stand up."

This time when she didn't move a boot was kicked into her leg but she was prepared for the blow. The steps moved closer still and in one smooth movement Sam's eyes were open and she leapt to her feet. Still crouching she swept her leg round, taking the guards feet from under him. He fell heavily, his head making a sickening crack as it hit the ground. Sam didn't look back at him though as she moved swiftly from the room, bolting the cell door securely behind her before the guard managed to get back on his feet.

Judging from her infrequent visits of late it would be a while before anyone found him in there. She ran on silent feet and with bent back, not knowing where she was going, not knowing what was around each corner but running all the same. The corridors were empty and poorly lit, the damp dead smell of run down building hung heavy in the air but it still smelt like freedom to Sam.

She slowed, her instinct warning her of danger. She stopped at a corner and peeked her head around it. At the end of the corridor a man was leaning lazily against the wall, Sam could just about make out the tinny noise of a walkman, obviously not a lot happened around here. Sam pressed her back against the wall and tried to come up with a plan. The scrapping of metal on concert snapped her out of her thoughts and she peered back around the corner.

The solider had moved to pull the door ajar, he was smoking a cigarette out of the gap in the door. Natural light spilt into the corridor and the smell of a crisp fresh day reached her. Most importantly though the guard's back was turned to her. Looking around for a weapon Sam settled on the dust covered fire extinguisher attached to the wall just down the corridor.

She slid her body along the wall and around the corridor. She tried to move as quietly as possible carrying the cumbersome extinguisher and prayed that the batteries on the guards walkman wouldn't die, she didn't trust her luck to last long enough to get her out of there. She raised her make shift weapon above her head, moved swiftly over the last couple of meters and threw her entire body weight down onto the extinguisher as it make contact with the solider.

He didn't even have time to grunt as he slid, unconscious, to the floor his walkman playing on regardless. Sam pried his gun from his hands and squeezed her body through the gap in the door. Outside she froze. Before her was a landscape of magnificent beauty.A clear blue sky filled with pure white snow capped mountains seemed to go on forever. The ground before her sloped downwards towards a forest of snow covered trees. The untouched snow covering the ground was the purest white she had ever laid eyes on. The light bounced off the snow's surface, making the world blindingly bright, and causing Sam's eyes to water. The cold air bit at her bare arms and face and briefly she wished she still had her shirt rather than just a tank top.

She stepped forward in the white paradise, guilty for breaking it's perfection before running in blind panic for the trees below.

&&&

"We have a winner." Jack entered the room brandishing a piece of paper, "One P. Rea supposed right hand man to Kinsey has a deed for a 10 acres of prime real estate in Alaska."

"Do you have the location of this property Colonel?" Hammond asked.

"Yes sir." Jack answered triumphant.

"Then taketwo teamswith you, you have a go."

&&&

"We're going in that." Daniel looked a little green as he asked Jack about their mode of transport.

"We can't get any closer by plane Daniel we have to get a chopper from here."

"Surely there's some other way." Jack stopped as Daniel halted.

"Any other way is too slow Daniel, there's only so many hours of daylight left."

"It's just that I have this thing about helicopters." Daniel definitely looked green now.

"A _thing _about helicopters."

"Yes, a thing."

Jack clapped Daniel on his back in a way that Daniel knew was ominous. "Well you know what they say about fears, the best way to conquered them is to face them." He grinned at Daniel but Daniel's eyes were glued to the helicopter gearing up on the flight pad.

"So we're definitely taking the helicopter." He mumbled.

"You bet your ass Danny boy."

&&&

Jack's eyes were glued to the white landscape whipping below him. He was protected from the blinding light by his shades. Daniel sat beside him, his eyes were clamped shut and he was muttering in Arabic, which in truth disturbed Jack a little bit.

"The compound should be within sight in 5 sir." The pilot spoke into Jack's ear.

"I want to set down the next opportunity you have, I'll take Sg-3 down on foot, Sg-5 will stay on the bird and cover us from the air."

Jack nodded at Teal'c who, as always sat silently, opposite him, "You keep an eye on Daniel for me T. Somehow I don't think he's taking this too well."

Both men turned to look at the pale faced scientist.

"I shall O'Neill."

"Down in 2 sir." The pilot spoke to him again.

"Come on Danny boy, we're getting off soon." Jack shook Daniel's shoulder.

Daniel turned to him wide eyed but Jack wasn't all that sure he was taking it in. No matter, Teal'c would take care of him, for now Jack had a blonde to find, he hoped all this wasn't just for a body.

&&&

Sam clung to a tree breathing heavily. She stood,ankle deep in snow, and tried to put pressure on the wound in her side. The red trail of blood seeping from her body was as good as a trail of breadcrumbs for all to follow. She tore a strip of sodden material off the bottom of her jeans and pressed it to the cut that had reopened for her sudden exertions.

The alarm had been raised about 10 minutes ago in the compound behind her. The sound of the siren carried to her ears through the still air. Somewhere above her came the low hum of aircraft. She pushed on, forcing her heavy legs through the deep snow, sucking ice-cold air through her nose. A shot rang out and a branch above her splintered in two. Sam turned to see a dark figure take aim and shoot again, she dived face first into the snow as the bullet hissed by her. Voices shouted at each other and Sam began to make out more figures moving through the trees. She shot blindlyat any movement until her bullets were gone. As the men took cover from her shots Sam pushed her weary body to her feet and ran.

More shots ran out, hitting the trees and the ground around her. She ducked and dived in a bid to avoid them but she knew sooner rather then later she would be hit. She clearly heard Rochester's voice call out to her before the bullet ripped through her leg.

"Carterrrr."

She stumbled 10 feet further, bursting through the woodland into a clearing beyond. The ground gave way to a steep drop producing an awesome view of the mountainous land that lay beyond. The pain forced Sam to her knees, the snow aroundthe gun wound in her leg quickly turning blood red. Rochester stepped forward into Sam's eye line.

"I told you Carter that you were going to die by my hand and you **will **die by my hand."

He crouched before her, his gun cradled comfortably in his lap.

"Aren't you going to squeal for me one last time Carter?" He sneered.

Sam raised her head and laughed. Rochester slapped her across her face causing Sam's body to crumple into the snow.

"Not so funny now is it bitch."

Sam righted herself back to her knees to see the snarl on Rochester's face. She spat straight at his face and took great joy in watching the mixture of phlegm and blood slide down his cheek.

Rochester roared and this time hit her with a closed fist causing Sam to land on her back. He towered above her his gun pointed at her chest.

"I've had enough of playing with you."

&&&

The sound of gunshots drove Jack and his men to the ground. When it was clear they weren't aiming at his men Jack moved them on to the source of the shots. He counted 5 men moving through the trees, all heading in one direction. Daniel and Teal'c stayed with him as Sg-3 moved behind the men.

"O'Neill." Teal'c nodded to one of the men breaking away to the right.

"I'll go T, when sg-3 get into position open fire if you're faced with resistance."

Teal'c nodded his agreement and Jack moved away to his right. The snow and the density of the trees made it difficult to keep in visual contact with the man but his footsteps were easily followed.

&&&

Gunshots rang out behind Sam and Rochester stared off behind her. There were at least 10 people fireing weapons by her addled brain's count and she had a sneaking suspicion that Rochester didn't have that many men. The gun remained on her while her unclipped a radio and held it to his mouth.

"Walker, come in Walker."

He waited for a response, while the thought that maybe now would be a good time to go for his gun crossed Sam's mind but she couldn't bring her body to move.

"Walker, where the hell are you?"

His radio burst into mixture of static and shouting but nothing was discernable from the noise. He threw the radio into the snow in disgust and turned back to Sam.

&&&

Sam swallowed hard and Rochester cocked his gun. She closed her eyes and waited for the first bullet to hit, she sent a silent prayer to her mother and then the shot rang out.

Sam's both stiffened and then once again she was in the snow.

&&&

Jack stayed within the tree line and watched as a tall man threw a radio into the snow and raised his gun at a woman. The hair may have been darkened by dirt but Jack still recognised it as the blond head of Sam Carter. He didn't know what kind of luck kept her alive this long but he was about to keep it that way. He flicked his gun onto single shot and took aim.

One shot was all it took and the man crumpled like a rag doll right down onto the kneeling form of Sam Carter.

Jackscrambled forward to the pile of human bodies. He kicked the gun away from the shot man's hand and checked for a pulse, he didn't find one. He rolled the body to one side to uncover Sam Carter. The right side of her face was red from a recent hit, while her right eye was black. A cut above her eye looked half healed while a newer wound rang along her jaw, disappearing behind her ear. Her chest still rose, life still pumping through her.

She was bleeding from a wound on her side but that wasn't what worried Jack. The snow along her right leg was vivid red. Blood spilt from a gun shot wound, the cold doing little to slow its escape.

"Carter." Jack shook her by her shoulders afraid to hurt her more, knowing there was only so much the human body could take and she was at that point.

She didn't respond to him and Jack was gripped by a sudden desperation to see her eyes.

He gently picked her head up and cradled it in his lap. He brushed her dirt and blood sodden hair from her face.

"Carter." He tried again.

Her eyes flashed open as though she was electrocuted but it took a second for her to focus on him.

"O'Neill?" Her surprise laced her voice. "You're here."

"You truly are a bright one aren't you Carter." Jack teased.

"O'Neill." Teal'c approached, gun raised.

"It's alright Teal'c, you cleared up the mess back there?" he nodded to trees behind them.

"Those who remain alive have been secured."

"Thanks T."

Teal'c crouched next to Jack, "She has endured much."

"Colonel do you read?" the voice of the helicopter pilot came over Jack's radio.

"I read you major."

The thunder of the helicopter filled the air until the giant metallic bird hovered above them.

"We have lost visual contact we the remainder of your team, do you require assistance?"

"All under control down here Major you find anywhere near by to touch down?"

"Yes sir, there's a clearing under half a click due west that should be large enough."

"Roger that Major we'll meet you there."

"Copy that Colonel." The helicopter moved off again.

""Grab the men and move out T, I'll bring Carter."

"Is it wise to move her O'Neill?" Teal'c sounded concerned.

"She made it is far."

Teal'c nodded and retraced his steps back to his captives.

"There are worse places to die." Sam spoke, uttering her thoughts aloud.

Jack looked down at her to see her head was turned to the spectacular view just feet from them.

"Not dead yet Carter." He spoke down to her but her head remained turned to the snow covered mountains.

"There are worse places to die." She repeated before Jack scooped her into his arms and headed for the helicopter and the skies.


	7. Chapter 7

The Quiet Life

By Se/Seesaw

DISCLAIMER: Stargate SG-1 and its characters are the property of Showtime/Viacom, MGM/UA, Double Secret Productions, and Gekko Productions. This was written for entertainment purposes only and no money whatsoever has exchanged hands. No copyright infringement is intended. The original characters, situations, and story are the property of the authors. Not to be archived without permission of the author.

RATING: Adult, contains swearing and violence

SEQUEL: Across the Divide, Across the Divide: touch and go, Across the Divide: Acquaintances in the dark, Across the Divide: A walk in the woods, Rope Bridges, Crossing Over

CATEGORY: AU

AUTHORS NOTES: Huge, and I really do mean huge, thanks to Meg who foolishly offered to beta for me and has done such a wonderful job. Be warned that this is an AU and will make absolutely no sense unless you've read the Across the Divide series, Rope Bridges and Crossing Over. Apologies for time lag between this part and the last part, what can I say except I'm very, very lazy. Thank you to everyone who sent feedback, it's much appreciated and I hope you enjoy the fic.

&&&

Time and pain did not mix well. Pain dragged time to eternity, made days heavy with unspent minutes. Sam glared at the ceiling and rolled over onto her right. There were no windows in her room, there were no pictures, and there wasn't even an interesting paint job. The beep of her heart monitor was a familiar background noise by now, as was the burble of voices beyond her door.

Sam was a patient in the infirmary in the SGC for 5 weeks now. She still couldn't recall her arrival, although she was told she was conscious at the time. She cringed to think of what she might have said, but her memory never coughed up any answers. Her first 2 weeks came to her in dribs and drabs. She remembered being told she had undergone surgery in Alaska to help stop the bleeding from the gunshot wound in her leg.

She remembered a petite doctor reeling off a laundry list of injuries. The only ones that stuck were broken ribs, mainly because she was reminded of them every time she inhaled, and something about bruising. Her first days were fuzzy from painkillers and hours spent sleeping. At the time she didn't know it, but it would turn out that these days would be the best. The drugs kept her wrapped in cotton wool so that her mind floated free from her body and kept her nightmares at bay. As she was slowly weaned off her painkillers, her nights were filled with dark figures, harsh words, and pain. She relived her torture over and over, until sleep became an enemy to wage war against every night.

Nightmares were not the only thing disturbing Sam's rest. As she lay on her hard infirmary bed she became increasingly aware of her surroundings. When she had been in too much pain to open her eyes, the comings and goings around went un-noticed. However, as time passed, and she was awake for longer each day, she could not ignore the people around her. Especially when she was a curiosity to them, something to stare at and study as they waited for their medical exams. And after the curiosity wore off the hostility began. At first it was whispered words under their breath, but soon it escalated, voices raised about normal just to make sure she wouldn't miss what was said.

"Another NID agent arrested today, what I wouldn't give to have an hour alone in a room with them."

"Nothing worse then a traitor, if you ask me, I have more respect for the crap I wipe off my shoes."

It became so bad that the diminutive, domineering doctor moved her to a private room, away from prying eyes and harsh words. In a way it was a reprieve, but it also completed her isolation. She had plenty of time to recuperate, far too much time in fact. In the NID she would be given half the time to recover physically, and probably less than a week before paperwork would be placed on her lap.

In the small quiet room, out of the way, Sam was slowly but surely going insane. The only reason she hadn't dived off that cliff yet was her occasional visits from the members of SG-1. For some reason beyond her comprehension, Jack O'Neill took her on as a pet project. He dropped in on her with girly magazines and base gossip about people she didn't know. His team came with him sometimes, Doctor Daniel Jackson and Teal'c. Jackson even dropped by on his own once. He was bright eyed and bushy tailed so to speak and seemed to take great joy in picking her brain with regards to the Ancients. She gave him anything she had, grateful for the human interaction. Teal'c was, as far as Sam could tell, the strong and silent type. She didn't pick up a hint of hostility from him, which was more then she could say for the other personnel on base.

As friendly as SG-1 were, they still had jobs to do which frequently involved going off world for a number of days. Sam could go days where her only conversation was the yes/no answer to 'are you feeling better today?', 'can I get you anything?'.

It turns out the worst combination was time, pain and boredom. It was worse than any torture the NID had ever inflicted on her.

&&&

"Well that wasn't really what I was hoping for." Daniel shouted about the din.

"Ya think?" Jack growled as he ducked another blast.

"We must return to Earth before the inhabitants seize control of the gate." Teal'c ignored their bickering, slightly more preoccupied with the men firing on them.

Daniel burrowed through his pockets, "They took my GDO."

"It's alright I have one." Jack popped his head above their cover to count the number of men firing at them.

"I count 3."

"There are 4, O'Neill." Teal'c corrected him.

"Really?" Jack was surprised.

"The fourth is hidden behind the pillar to our right."

Jack didn't bother checking, he knew better then to question Teal'c.

"You think we could Zat them without getting hit?"

"I believe so O'Neill."

"Good. I'll take left, you take right."

Teal'c nodded in agreement.

"Hey." Daniel said affronted. "What about me?"

"I think you've done enough for one day Daniel." Jack muttered before pushing himself up with his zat raised.

&&&

"Colonel, you're back early." General Hammond stood at the end of the metal ramp leading to the gate and scanned the expressions on the faces of his front line team.

"There was a slight hiccup." Jack pulled the cap off his head and ran his fingers through his head.

"Hiccup." The General echoed, confused.

"The local inhabitants fired upon us." Teal'c informed him.

"I thought the locals were friendly."

"Yeah, well, so did we." Jack said ruefully, "Daniel insulted them."

"I didn't insult them Jack." Daniel glared at him and then turned to the General. "They were asking me about my GDO and how it worked, and then about our level of technology. I couldn't really answer their question and they got a bit… annoyed."

"Annoyed?" Jack scrunched his cap in his hand. "They shot at us Daniel!"

"That's all I did Jack I swear, they just over reacted."

The General interrupted before Jack could get in his next insult. "Should we be worried about this?"

"The civilisation did appear to posses advanced technology." Teal'c answered him.

"Yeah but they stole it all." Jack added.

"Excuse me?" The General didn't like the sound of that.

"From the little time we spent there we think that they might have actually stolen all the technology." Daniel explained further.

"Since they now have possession of a GDO I believe it would be wise to change the iris codes." Teal'c added.

General Hammond nodded, "We'll debrief in an hour. I believe Doctor Fraiser is waiting for you." He dismissed them before disappearing off to his office.

&&&

"So how's Carter today, Doc?" Jack asked as he hopped off the infirmary bed.

Janet Fraiser stood before him scribbling something in his file. Daniel and Teal'c stood by the door waiting for him.

"Hum." Janet mumbled without looking up.

"Hey Doc, how's about a little eye contact?"

Janet raised her eyes without lifting her head and glared at Jack. Since Jack had been on the receiving end of Janet's glare for about 3 years now, he was unfazed.

"How's Carter?"

The Doctor sighed heavily and flicked the medical file shut.

"She's doing well Colonel. The phyiso says she's making good progress and she should be back to full strength in the next 3 weeks or so."

Jack grinned at her, "Thanks Doc, tell her I'll call in on her later today."

"We're going to be late Jack." Daniel complained from the doorway, causing Jack to roll his eyes to heaven and causing Janet to repress a smile.

&&&

It was two hours since the commotion in the infirmary. Sam had snuck out of her bed and through a crack in the door saw the arrival of an injured SG team. She wasn't sure what had happened to them, but it didn't appear life threatening. It was enough to keep the staff busy though, which was just what Sam wanted.

As best as she could figure, it was about 3 o'clock in the morning, which hopefully meant that the base would be pretty quiet. The ideal time for her to breakout. She was beyond bored of her stuffy little room with no one to talk to and nothing to do. She knew that SG1 had returned from their mission today because she had heard their friendly banter but they hadn't come to visit her. She was disappointed but not surprised. She was nothing to these people, and she had learned long ago never to expect much from anyone.

She flicked off her heart monitor and unhooked the few remaining leads from her body. Sliding her feet to the ground, she paused for a moment as the shock of the cold concert floor passed through her feet. She padded quietly to her door and opened it slowly. There was one nurse doing paper work at the staff desk, and Doctor Fraiser was at the far end of the infirmary checking on her new patients. They no longer bothered to check on Sam at night, confident that she wouldn't suddenly die in her sleep.

She waited until Fraiser had her back turned to Sam and the door to study a medical chart before she squeezed her body through the smallest gap possible in the door. It clicked quietly shut behind her. She froze and held her breath, but her entrance into the room went unnoticed. She moved for the exit, glad her feet were bare and silent. The nurse at the desk was humming badly as Sam slid around the corner and out of the room. As soon as she was clear, she jogged down the corridor. Her leg protested at the sudden movement of her long time idle limb, but it was a dull ache that Sam could easily handle.

Now all she had to do was figure out where she was going. She gingerly took the next left she came to and wandered down the corridor until she heard the low hum of a computer from a door left ajar. She stopped and listened for voices within but when it remained silent she stuck her head around the door. The room was dark but for a desk light glowing dimly and a screen saver flitting across a monitor. Sam slipped into the room and shut the door behind her.

She sat down and clicked the mouse to bring the computer back to life. She quickly pulled up a plan of the base and memorised the route she'd have to take. Now knowing where she had to go she moved confidently from the room.

Sam was almost there, blood was pumping loudly in her ears and her senses were on high alert, as she grew closer to her destination. Knowing that she didn't have a swipe card to even access the elevator, and even if she did she would undoubtedly meet someone in the elevator, she had just climbed up 4 floors by metal ladder.

She stilled as two guards wandered idly by the end of the corridor too engrossed in their conversation to notice Sam. She waited until quiet descended again and then moved as quickly as her leg would allow down the corridor. Hoping her memory was still up to scratch after her many idle weeks she took the first left, third right and then the last door at the end of the corridor.

The swing door opened on silent hinges and Sam stepped through. She groped blindly along the walls for a few minutes before her fingers found the light switch. The fluorescent lights flicked and then hummed into life. Before Sam was the main locker room of the SGC. Lockers lined both walls, with wooden benches running parallel to the lockers. Sam ran her fingers along the name plates stuck to each metal door. She pulled one open at random and inspected the contents. A shaving kit was haphazardly discarded on the top self, it's contents spilling out of the bag. A picture of a smiling brunette holding a baby was taped to the inside of the door.

A jacket was hung up, and a pair of brown boots and jeans were dumped under it. A canvas bag lay half buried in the corner of the locker and Sam dragged it out. She unzipped it to find a pair of grey USAF sweats and a black T-shirt. She picked up the T-shirt and pushed the material to her nose, happy to find that they gym gear was in fact clean. She quickly dragged her infirmary issue scrubs off and pulled on the sweats. The soft cotton felt good on her skin and the T-shirt felt far more substantial then the thin green top she was forced to wear.

Sam rolled the waistband of the sweats up a number of times until she was satisfied that she wouldn't trip over the ends. She returned to the bag to find a pair of sneakers 2 sizes too big for her and a can of deodorant. No socks. Wiggling her cold toes on the concert floor before she had another quick look through the locker but still no socks. She would have to do without, besides her feet by now where so numb she could barely feel the cold. Violating one person's privacy was enough for her in one day, so she left the rest of the lockers untouched and headed for another door that led out of the locker room.

She made sure to flick the lights back off before she pushed the door open and entered another dark room.

&&&

Teal'c grew tired of his pursuit of sleep and pushed himself up and off his narrow cot. Although he no longer had a larva and therefore needed sleep he could still function on far less hours in the land of nod then than humans. The attack on them today had driven his adrenaline levels up, but their hasty retreat through the Stargate left him with no release.

He would go to the gym, he decided, and use up his excess energy before he was called on duty again. There was 2 hours before his new day started, plenty of time to burn energy, shower and grab something to eat. He changed into his gym gear and began his familiar route to the gym.

The base was still quiet, with minimal staff covering their posts. Teal'c liked this time, twilight in the base. He had grown accustomed to the hustle and bustle of the Tau'ri but he still favoured the quiet his people carried out their lives in.

Teal'c paused as he pushed open the door to the gym surprised that the lights were on. The dull thud of a punch bag being hit was the only noise in the room. It was not unusual to find SGC personnel doing strange things at strange hours but it wasn't that common either.

Teal'c dropped his towel and water bottle by the door and headed in the direction of the punch bag to investigate. Samantha Carter was attacking the bag with some fever. She moved stiffly obviously favouring her un-injured leg, but her punches were sharp, strong and fused with the intensity of emotion. He watched her move around the bag, jabbing at it constantly, her breathing regular, her actions controlled.

He was impressed by her strength and control, more so since he knew of her injuries. He also knew that she probably shouldn't be exercising so vigorously so soon after her near death experience.

"Samantha Carter."

Her head snapped around, her hands still mid punch. He raised his eyebrow and waited for a response from her, she stared back. Silence descended and Teal'c, for once, decided to be the first to speak.

"I was unaware Janet Fraiser released you from the infirmary."

"Well she's unaware of it, too." She replied, dropping her hands to her side and turning to face him.

Teal'c was amused but didn't express it,

"Perhaps she would be more inclined to release you if she believed you would not over exert yourself."

"Point taken." Carter moved away from the punch bag and stooped to pick up a water bottle.

"Perhaps you would like to join me for coffee in the canteen." Teal'c offered. His workout could wait.

She paused, surprised by his offer but also wary of it.

"It will be quiet at this hour, we will be undisturbed." He reassured her silent fears.

She nodded once, "Thank you, I'd appreciate the company."

They travelled through the SGC in silence, neither speaking until they were seated in the farthest corner of the canteen. There were two people serving in the canteen and one very tired looking scientist slumped over a report and cold cup of coffee.

"Have you given much thought to Colonel O'Neill's offer?" Teal'c asked her.

"You mean joining the SGC." Sam muttered before taking a soothing sip of her piping hot coffee.

She shrugged, "I can't see it happening really."

"Colonel O'Neill seems most confident that you will accept." Teal'c revealed.

"Well I don't think I'm all that welcome around these parts." She added gruffly.

Teal'c raised an eyebrow in query,

"Folks haven't been all that welcoming. I don't think they appreciate my former employers."

They lapsed back into silence, Teal'c mulling over her words.

"When I arrived here," Teal'c began slowly still uneasy with revealing emotions after all these years, "many treated with me with distrust. In time I gained their trust, I believe given time they will accept you, and that you will prove to them you deserve their trust."

"What makes you so sure I'm worth all this, that I won't betray you all?" Sam eyed him, her stare inquisitive.

"Your actions have proven your loyalty and valour." Teal'c pointed out as though it was the most obvious thing in the world.

"And what about my past actions, you don't think I'll be judged on those?"

"I too carried out many dark deeds in my past. Actions that you carry out against your will do not reflect on who you are, your recent actions, however, were of your own making, they are a true reflection of the person that you are, Samantha Carter."

Sam grinned at him, "Didn't have you down as a philosopher Teal'c, or is it a Jaffa trait?"

Sam finished her coffee with reluctance still holding her cup soaking up its dying heat.

"If you do not remain in the SGC, where would you go?"

"Not sure really, I can't go anywhere on Earth, too many people wanting me dead." She stared off into the middle distance, a frown creasing her forehead. "I won't ever see my family again," she smiled weakly and with no warmth, "it's probably for the best."

"I too miss my family, but I fight for their freedom, for their safety."

"You must make them proud." Sam's eyes were focused on him once more.

Teal'c nodded once at her kind words, "Perhaps you could live off world," Teal'c suggested, "It is most unlikely that the NID could harm you there."

"You know that's not a bad idea."

&&&

Jack rubbed the palm of his hand into his still sleep-blurred eyes and headed to the canteen on automatic pilot. He glanced at his watch and scowled at the time. 06:30. That gave him half an hour to grab something to eat and some coffee before meeting Hammond for his oh so early briefing.

He grabbed some toast and a large mug of coffee in the quiet canteen and was surprised to find Teal'c already seated at a far table and even more surprised to see who was seated opposite him.

He dropped his tray heavily on the table the pair were sitting at, and dropped himself even more ungraciously onto the chair next to Teal'c.

"I didn't know you'd gained your freedom." He spoke to Carter before taking a large bite of his toast.

"Jail break." She informed him.

He grinned at her, "Janet will punish you for that." He chuckled, familiar with Janet's punishments for defying her rule.

"I'm sure I've survived worse." She replied deadpan.

Jack squirmed, a little uncomfortable, not knowing whether she was joking or not, he quickly changed the subject.

"So what are you two hens gossiping about?"

"We were discussing Samantha Carter's plans for the future." Teal'c answered him.

Jack stared at him before taking another bite of his toast, "Didn't know you were a guidance counsellor T."

Teal'c raised his 'confused' eyebrow at Jack but he didn't get time to answer.

"Teal'c was telling me you guys have an Alpha site. I was wondering if they could do with another scientist out there." Sam spoke studying him for his reaction.

"I thought you might hang out here with us." Jack was surprised by this turn around; he just presumed Carter would stay at the SGC.

"You mean stay trapped on base for the rest of my life, never seeing daylight." Her joke coloured with the truth.

"Well I wouldn't go that far…" Jack began to argue but Sam was hearing none of it.

"If I stay, I'll never be able to go anywhere freely without worrying about my safety, which leaves me stuck on this base. I can't say that I find the offer all that attractive."

"Well I suppose I could speak to the General about it but I really think…" Jack was cut off again but, this time it was by the base alarm going off.

"Unscheduled off world activation." Walter's voice boomed over the loudspeaker accompanied by a flashing red light.

"We better go see what that's about?" Jack waved to the loudspeaker on the wall while rising to his feet.

"Go, I'll go face Janet." Carter rose too, and watched with some amusement as Jack tried to hurry from the room without spilling his coffee.

&&&

Jack made it to the control room with minimal spillage, which left him feeling smug. Teal'c thankfully was more focused,

"What appears to the problem?" He asked Walter.

"We're receiving a signal from P3XY221"

That got Jack's attention, "As in the planet full of thieves we just got back from."

"Yes sir."

"Well I'll be…"

"What kind of signal are they transmitting?" Teal'c spoke over Jack."

"To tell the truth I don't know, I've never seen anything like it. We're analysing it now but it appears to be a multi layer signal."

"I don't care what kind of signal it is Walter, it's bad news if it's from that immoral dump, shut the gate down."

"Yes sir." The gate died as Walter spoke his last word, which caused the man to blink.

"That seemed quicker than usual." Jack looked down at Walter in confusion.

"I didn't do that sir."

"If you didn't do that, who did." Jack asked ominously.

The lights flickered above them causing all three men to look up.

"I do not believe that that is of human origin." Both men looked at Teal'c and then at the computer screen he was studying.

"What the hell is that?" Jack's voice rose as he saw the unfamiliar script quickly scrolling down all the computer screens in the control room.

"The computer isn't responding to any commands sir." Walter's voice wavered unhappy with giving O'Neill bad news.

"Stop it." Jack commanded.

"But sir the computers aren't…" Walter looked up at him helplessly.

"Pull the plug, Walter. I don't want what ever the hell that is spreading."

"Yes sir." Walter mumbled suitably chastised.

The screens blanked as the power was flicked off.

"I want to know what the hell that was and what the hell it was trying to do!" Jack commanded, his voice still raised.

&&&

Jack tapped lightly on the wooden door, wary of disturbing a harassed looking General. The man waved him inside and onto the chair opposite him while he finished his phone call.

The General hung up the phone heavily and looked at the Jack grimly.

"I take it that there's no good news sir."

The General leaned back in his chair and stretched out his back.

"Nothing new, I'm afraid, Colonel. I authorised the techs in the IT department to start up one of the base computers but so far they can't find a trace of any foreign script or programming." He finished with a frown.

"So, what now sir?" Jack asked, somewhat flummoxed.

The General's frown deepened, "I'm unhappy with reactivating the base computers but I've been ordered to continue with base operations as normal."

"Pressure from above." Jack surmised.

"They feel that since we have yet to find any trace of the signal within the computers we should allow our off world teams to return and work on the computers in the meantime." General clarified.

"Risky."

"Maybe, but there's no way to find out what this signal has done without turning on the computers in the entire base and we can't keep our men off-world indefinitely." The General finished defeated.

"I guess sir."

The General returned to the paperwork on his desk and Jack stood acknowledging the silent dismissal.

"Sir." Jack paused at the door and turned back to the stressed General. "Can I make a suggestion?"

The General cocked his head, unused to the Colonel asking before he made any comment.

"Maybe we should let Carter look at it?"

"Samantha Carter."

"She did design and write most of the computer programmes used in the gate room." Jack pointed out.

"You trust her Colonel."

"Yes sir." came his quick response.

"Well then I'll leave this matter in your hands Colonel."

Jack nodded and left the room.

&&&

A tense uneasy hour had passed without event since the base went back on-line. The collective breath of the base was still held but some of the stress was ebbing away.

"Carter." Jack's head appeared around her door. "Been looking for you."

"My punishment for my escape was a particularly long physical." She explained her absence away.

"Ah." He stepped into her room, "Did she use her big needles?"

Sam unconsciously rubbed her hip, which had acted as Janet's pincushion, "Something like that." She winced at the memory.

She handed him a plastic bag, "Could you bring these back to the gym locker room for me and thank who ever I stole them from for me."

"Actually," Jack took the offered bag, "I was wondering if you would do something for us, consider it repayment for the use of the facilities."

"Does it mean I get to leave this room?" She asked hopefully.

"Well, no." Jack felt cruel at the look of disappointment that flashed across her face, "but you do get a computer."

That perked her up.

"We received some strange signal about an hour ago but we can't figure out where it went or what it did."

"That…" she paused looking for the right words, "sounds worrying."

"Since you pretty much made the control room I thought maybe you could figure it out."

"At the moment I'd do anything for a bit of stimulation." Sam spoke without thought and then quickly corrected herself when she saw Jack's eyebrow raised and a grin tug at his lips.

"Intellectual, I mean, intellectual stimulation."

"Right." Jack smoothed his smile, "I'll get someone to send down a laptop, I'm sure it'll keep you stimulated." He was delighted to see her cheeks flush. Who knew the hard-bitten, ex-NID officer was prone to blushing.

"Thank you."

Jack nodded and left her to it, heading to the canteen, coffee and some long over due reports that had to be read.

&&&

Jack flicked closed his fifth report and doodled idly in his note pad. He eyed the remains of the cold coffee in the mug next to him and debated getting a refill. He had managed to down 3 cups in the past 2 hours but it was the only thing keeping him awake reading damn reports. It didn't help that he was preoccupied. He was waiting for the other shoe to drop since they received that signal which left him in an uneasy state. Something had to come from it, why else would you send a signal through to another world.

The red light above the door flashed into life, accompanied by the all too familiar call,

"Unscheduled off world activation."

Jack briefly dropped his head onto the plastic tabletop and cursed to himself, he hated it when he was right.

Teal'c and General Hammond were already present in the control room when he arrived, both peering ominously at the Stargate, the iris firmly closed.

"What is it?" He asked no one in particular.

"It's P3XY221 again, sir." Walter spoke eyes still glued to his computer screen.

"A signal?"

"No sir, we're not receiving a transmission of any kind."

The men returned their focus to the Stargate and waited. Minutes ticked by, the gate remained active but all else was still.

"What are they doing?" Jack spoke more to himself then the room.

"Ah sir." Walter spoke hesitantly.

The General turned to him, "it appears that the computers are no longer responding."

All attention in the room was suddenly pinpointed on Walter.

"What?" Jack snapped.

"Well…" but the man never got to finish his sentence as the blast doors within the gate room slid shut.

"If we can't work the computers who's doing that?" Jack snapped.

"Perhaps the signal we received was a virus that is now in control of the computer systems." Teal'c surmised succinctly.

"Damn it." Jack growled.

The iris slid open and men began to pour through the gate, all heavily armed.

"Seal the base and declare a red alert." The General ordered immediately.

The lights above them flickered before dying. It took a couple of seconds for the emergency lighting to kick in and fill the base with an eerie green light.

"As far as I can tell sir, they've access to all our major systems. Control of the doors, lighting, the gate and we're unable to activate the self destruct."

"You think." Jack asked exasperated.

"It's the best I can do since I can't really get full access to the computers sir." Walter stuttered.

"We need to regain control of this base. Colonel I want you to post men at all exits on this floor. No one is getting out of this base, understood." The General spoke, the voice of authority.

"Yes sir."

The blast door slid closed across the glass in the control room leaving the men inside blind to what their uninvited guest were doing.

Jack turned and caught the nearest Major next to him.

"I want the power pulled to the gate. I don't want them bringing anything else through the gate."

The man turned without question.

"The people of P3XY221 are more technologically advanced, we must proceed with caution." Teal'c warned.

"Understood." The General nodded and headed for his office, he hoped the phone system was still working.

"With me, Teal'c." Jack called as he hurried from the room.

Both men hurried to the nearest source of weapons, Jack shouting orders as they went, gathering the men he needed together.

Teal'c passed out guns and walkie-talkies from the weaponry as Jack formulated a plan.

"I'll set up a barricade at the eastern blast door, you take the west."

Teal'c nodded in agreement as he strapped a zat to his legs.

"What's going on?" Daniel appeared along side them, flushed from the run from his lab, twitchy from the adrenaline rushing through his body.

"The thieves from P3XY221 have decided to make a house call."

"But, how?" Daniel asked flabbergast.

"It would appear that the signal they sent today has infected the base computers. They are now under their control."

"Oh." Daniel frowned deeply, "That's bad."

"That's a mild way of putting it Daniel."

"Well what can I do to help?"

"Grab a gun and follow me Daniel." Jack told him dismissively.

"What of Samantha Carter?" Teal'c asked.

"What about her?" Jack asked confused.

"She may be of some assistance with regaining control of the computer systems." Teal'c pointed out.

"I'll get her." Daniel automatically volunteered, "You two are better on the front line.

"Here." Jack handed him a walkie-talkie and a zat, "stay in contact." Daniel nodded, shoved the radio into his vest pocket and hurried in the direction of infirmary.

"You know what you have to do T. You 3," Jack pointed at the men before him, "with me."

He moved off to the corridor on his right, leaving Teal'c and the others behind him. They moved swiftly through the dimly light corridors, deserted of people as they all took up their emergency posts. Jack focused intently on the route before him. The half-light, half dark of the base irritated his eyes. They were coming close to the gate room now, and Jack slowed their progress, checking carefully around each corner before travelling future.

A strange noise caught Jack's attention, he raised his hand, the men behind him instantly stopping and dropping down to a squat. Jack listened intently, he was sure he heard something.

The wall to the right of Jack exploded into a cloud of dust as it was hit by an energy blast. The blast knocked Jack onto his side as the spot he'd just occupied was hit by two more shots.

"Take cover." He yelled as he hurriedly back pedalled down the corridor and into and enclave.

Three men dressed in navy ran across the mouth of the corridor and took up defensive position. Three more appeared on the opposite side. All of them began to fire.

"Open fire." Ordered Jack and the air was quickly filed with the bitter smell of gunpowder and hiss of bullets.

A cry went out from one of the men behind Jack and he turned to see the man on his back, bleeding from his shoulder. He was quickly dragged to safety and Jack turned back to the attackers.

He pulled his radio from his jacket pocket and clicked it on.

"Teal'c"

He let off a volley of bullets and waited for a response.

"O'Neill, we are under fire." Teal'c responded his voice loud and clear over gunfire.

"Same here Teal'c, looks like they move faster then we thought." Jack ducked as a blast hit directly over his head.

Damn it, he muttered to himself.

"We're going to have pull back."

"I believe that would be wise O'Neill."

"I'll meet you at the elevator Teal'c and we'll set up barricade."

"Fall back." Jack shouted over his shoulder before he fired again and retreated.

&&&

Daniel edged along the corridors; pleased he had almost reached his final destination. He hated wandering around the SGC in this lighting, talk about making the place creepy. Combined with the fact that there wasn't a sinner to be seen, it just made Daniel think of every cheesy horror movie he'd ever seen. The geeks always got killed in horror movies.

"Doctor Jackson."

Daniel screamed in a very undignified manner as Janet Fraiser appeared out of the infirmary doorway. He tried to cover it up by coughing but Janet didn't look like she was buying it.

"Do you know what's going on?"

"Armed men are after getting through the Stargate, something to do with that signal we were sent earlier today."

"That doesn't sound too good."

"No, it's probably best if you stay here, any injuries will probably be sent your way." Janet nodded and then went back into the infirmary with Daniel hot on her heels.

"So what brings you here?" She asked him.

"Jack sent me to talk to Carter. She might be able to help out with the computers."

"She's still in her room if you want to speak with her." She nodded to the adjoining room to the infirmary.

"Doc."

The harsh call from the door caused Daniel to spin around. In the doorway were two of the base personal, one carrying the other. Blood was smeared across both their uniforms but it was hard to tell which was bleeding.

"Bruce got hit in the shoulder, he's bleeding fairly badly." The man who had called out informed them.

Janet and her staff flew into action, extracting the wounded man from the grip of the other.

"What happened?" Daniel asked.

"The intruders have moved further into the base then expected. We came under fire and had to retreat. Colonel O'Neill is setting up a barricade at the elevators to prevent them from progressing to any other floor."

The soldier reloaded his gun and turned to go,

"Colonel O'Neill told me to tell you when he gave you a radio he expected you to turn it on not use it as an accessory, Doctor."

Daniel winced and dug the radio out of his pocket,

"Right, thank you." He flicked the radio on. When he looked back up the solider was already gone.

"Jack, can you read me."

"Daniel." Jack's unhappy tone filtered back to Daniel, "Damn it Daniel keep your radio on, that's the whole point of the damn things."

"Alright Jack, I know." Daniel answered agitated by his own stupidity. "What's the situation?"

"We're holding the elevators but it's not much good if these guys can over ride the security and get access to the stairs. We have to get the computers back. What did Carter say?" In the background Daniel could make out the rattle of gunfire and exchange of harsh words.

"I haven't actually spoken to her yet." Daniel replied sheepishly.

"Daniel.." the low rumble to Jack's voice warned Daniel of an out burst so he interjected.

"I'm on my way now; I'll let you know what she says." He quickly flicked the radio off and hoped that Jack would be too distracted to remember it later.

He headed for Sam's room and tapped lightly on the door,

"Yeah." A female voice called out.

Daniel entered the room to find Samantha Carter sitting cross-legged on her infirmary bed studying a laptop. She had managed to find another pair of sweats and a T-shirt although she remained bare foot.

"I guess you heard about the attack."

"Invasion you mean." She glanced up briefly from the computer screen.

"It's not quite that bad."

"I heard, you don't miss much with the nurses around here."

"I thought you might be out fighting." Daniel edged closer and tried to see what she was doing on the computer.

"And give someone a good excuse to shoot me, I don't think so." She added ruefully.

"I was just wondering if you managed to figure anything out about the signal."

"Not much to tell the truth, I'd need to gain access to the base computers really." She flicked the laptop shut and looked at Daniel curiously. "I take it the signal is somehow connected to the unwanted party on base."

"It seems it was some kind of virus. It must have synchronised their technology with ours and they now have control of all the computers on base including the self destruct."

Sam whistled lightly, "So you're in some serious trouble." She stated the obvious. "I could probably help with the computers, at least regain control of some of it but I'd need to get to the control room."

"Right." Daniel nodded unsure about what to do next; deciding to pass the decision on he flicked his radio back on.

"Jack." He spoke into it but static was his only reply, "Jack." he tried again.

"What?" Jack snapped.

"We need to get to the control room." Daniel waited a second for Jack to answer.

"Jack I said we need…"

"I heard you the first time Daniel, it's not going to happen."

"But…"

"No buts Daniel's we've lost control of the gate room, you'll just have to think of something else." There was shouting in the background and an ominous thud.

"Get back to me when you have more Daniel." This time it was Jack's turn to flick his radio off to end the conversion.

"Well." He looked hopefully at Sam.

She slid off the bed and wrinkled her nose as her feet touched the cold floor.

"Well what, we're still going to the control room."

"But you heard Jack." Daniel protested, "There's no way for us to get there, we aren't even properly armed, I only have a zat."

Carter picked up a CD disk from the bed and slid it into her waistband, pulling her t-shirt down to cover it.

"What's that?" Daniel asked suspiciously.

"A computer program I've been working on." She answered a little too vaguely for Daniel's liking but she spoke before he could question her further. (I am a little confused about who is talking in the next sentence – Sam or Daniel?)

"So how are we going to get to the control room?" Sam asked.

"We're not, if Jack says it's over run…" She snorted dismissively at his words.

"You have to learn to think outside the box a bit more Daniel."

She brushed by him and out of the room.

"Control room is to the left, isn't it?"

"Yeah but…" she didn't hang around to hear the rest of the sentence.

"Can I ask how exactly you intend on getting to the control room?" Daniel asked as he jogged behind her.

"We're going to get captured?" She answered absentmindedly as she poked her head around a corner.

"What?" Daniel asked stopping abruptly.

"Shush." She waved an arm at him.

"You can't seriously…"

An energy blast sizzled by, missing Sam by an inch; it was quickly followed by 3 more shots.

"Damn it." Sam hissed and flattened her back against the wall.

"I guess that's the bad guys." She turned to look at Daniel, "You can either play along or stay here."

She didn't really give Daniel time to respond before she rounded the corner her arms held in the air.

"Hold your fire." She shouted and then ducked as another shot flew by her. "I said hold you fire." She shouted louder this time, "I'm unarmed."

Alarm pinged through Daniel's body sticking him to the spot. Silence descended as the shots stopped and Daniel held his breath.

"I can help you." Sam's voice echoed slightly in the corridor.

Panic was beginning to make Daniel feel a bit sick. The dull thud of a pair of boots on concrete now filled the silence, each footfall making Daniel wince, as they grew closer.

Taking his fear by the horns so to speak he crouched low and glanced around the corner. Sam stood, arms still raised, in the corridor. A fair-haired man invading her personal space, his nose almost touching her face, a gun hanging ominously from his fingertips.

"And why would you do that?" He asked in a low menacing voice.

"Because I'm being held as a prisoner here, doesn't do much for building loyalty." She turned and held eye contact with the man.

"And I suppose I'm just supposed to believe that." Neither moved an inch.

"You want proof. There's an armed man hiding around the corner behind me."

Daniel's heart flipped and started a steady dive towards his toes. What the hell was she doing? What the hell was he doing? She probably had this planned all along. What idiotic, naïve, half brained dimwit would trust someone who worked for the NID? Their whole purpose in life was to pretty much destroy the people he worked for.

"Is that right?" The man took a small step back, still in Sam's personal space but not quite so much in her face.

He nodded to one of the men behind him who broke off and trotted to the end of the corridor. Daniel slid his back up the wall until he stood tall and readied himself to fight. He raised his zat and as soon as he saw the tip of a boot appearing he swung around. He fired but his hand was hit and he missed badly. A heavy blow to his stomach caused him to drop the zat and collapse to his knees wheezing. He was dragged by the scruff of his neck to join Carter.

She looked down on him with cold hard eyes briefly before turning back to the man in charge.

"Happy now?" She challenged.

He glared at her, still obviously torn. She turned back to Daniel who was rearranging the glasses on his face and gave him a smile that could freeze California.

"It's going to be fun watching your little base crumble." Daniel desperately scanned her face for any sign that this was a game, that it was some ploy that he was being too slow to understand. All he saw was his own worried face reflected back at him.

"You didn't honestly believe I was going to sit around in your infirmary for the rest of my life, did you? "

Daniel screwed up his courage and his bubbling anger.

"You lying bitch." He spat at her.

He was thrown to the floor as her fist connected solidly with his jaw. Carter took a menacing step towards him but a hand pushed her back.

"Enough." She was ordered, "There'll be time for this later, what is it exactly that you can do to help us?" He drew Sam's attention away from Daniel.

"I can help you get out of this base. You gained control of the primary computers but it wouldn't be for long. The entire base has a secondary emergency system that they'll switch to."

"Really." The fair-haired man sounded far from convinced, "If that were true why haven't they switched to it already."

"I presume you've gained control of the control room." She asked with a raised eyebrow. Continuing on when he nodded, "The system is harder to access from outside the control room, it's probably taking them some time to get in on line."

"And you just happen to be able to stop this. How convenient."

"You think they keep ordinary criminals prisoner in a secret high security base. I'm here because I designed, programmed and installed most of the technology on this base. I'm here because they know how much damage I can do to them and they like to keep their beady eyes on me."

"And why wouldn't they just kill you?"

"Because they're soft hearted fools. I however, don't suffer fools gladly."

He stared at her for a long minute more before turning back to his men.

"Restrain him." He pointed at Daniel.

He clamped his hand around Sam's arm but she didn't even flinch, "Move back to the control room." He ordered before setting a brisk pace for the group.

&&&

"Where the hell is Daniel?" Jack asked Teal'c irritated that he couldn't raise the man in question on his radio.

"I believe he was last seen in the infirmary." Teal'c replied placidly.

"That was 20 minutes ago he should have gotten back to me by now."

A fresh assault began on their make shift blockade but it didn't distract Jack from his rant.

"I swear if he got himself captured and I have to save his sorry ass again there'll be hell to pay."

Teal'c simply raised an eyebrow before popping his head above their cover and expertly zatting one of the attackers. He crouched back down beside Jack who was still muttering in displeasure.

"Perhaps he is working on a solution with Samantha Carter." He suggested reasonably.

"Come on Teal'c, you're telling me there's a fire fight on and Daniel won't manage to get injured or captured."

An energy blast hit the wall above then sending a shower of dust down on them.

"Perhaps his luck is changing."

"Yeah and I'm Dorothy."

&&&

The first thing Daniel noticed when he woke up was that the cold concrete his head was on felt a bit sticky. He peeled his cheek off the floor and focused on the pair of boots not 4 inches from his nose.

At some point during the trip to the control room Daniel made a lame ass attempt at escaping and had gotten zatted for his efforts. Someone must have had the dubious task of carrying him the rest of the way.

"Well." A harsh male voice barked and Daniel hauled himself up to see what was going on.

"I'm trying to bypass their security measures which would be a lot easier if I wasn't interrupted every second with inane questions." Daniel recognised Sam Carter's voice, her tone as harsh as the one directed at her.

Daniel picked his miraculously unbroken glasses off the ground and slid them up his nose. He was definitely in the control room, he remember Sam saying something about helping bypass a secondary computer system but if there was such a thing on base it was news to him.

There were 5 men in the room. Two posted on each door and another, the one who had captured them, standing next to Carter at one of the computers. The computer screens above showed footage from various security cameras around the base. There appeared to be a number of men stuck in the elevator, another couple hemmed in near one of the armouries and another showing the barricade set up by the elevators.

It looked like everything from tables and chairs to sandbags were piled up outside the elevator doors. How they had managed that Daniel couldn't begin to guess. What was more worrying however was the footage of the men creeping out of one of the access hatches on the floor above them, the intruders were spreading.

"Sir." The man attached to the pair of boots that Daniel's nose was so nearly intimate with spoke. "He's awake."

The man next to Carter directed his attention away from her and onto Daniel.

"How important is he?" He spoke to Sam without looking at her.

"What?" she snapped as her fingers tapped furiously on the keyboard.

Daniel had to hand it to her, she had balls. She was totally un-intimidated by this man even though he was technically holding them and the base hostage.

"Is he worth keeping alive as a hostage?"

Sam turned her head briefly to look at Daniel as though she had forgotten what other prisoners were in the room.

"Yes, he's the leading archaeologist on base." Daniel saw something flash in her eyes but it was too quick for him to read it.

"Ah yes, Doctor Jackson wasn't it." The man took a step towards him, "we met when you paid my planet a little visit." He took another step towards him.

Daniel's attention however wasn't on the approaching man it was on Samantha Carter who was very subtly sliding the CD from the waistband of her sweats.

"You must have been part of the welcoming committee who shot at us." Daniel replied trying to buy some time, hoping that he could trust Carter, that Jack's instincts about her were right.

He pulled himself to his feet and tried not to wobble too much. Sam opened the disk drive on the computer and inserted the disk.

"We were quite willing to trade technology with you, there was no reason to attack."

"Where's the fun in that?" He took another step towards Daniel.

"It's not too late you know, I could talk to the General, I'm sure he'd still be willing to trade."

"You mean that bald man we have trapped in his own office."

Daniel gulped he didn't realise that they had the General, the entire situation was a lot worse then he thought.

Carter was working furiously away on the computer, her fingers moving even quicker, programs being opened and shut in seconds.

"Are you done yet?" The man whipped around, his attention flicking from Daniel like a ping-pong ball.

"Nearly." Sam tapped a few more keys before turning to face him an impish grin on her face.

"Done!" She declared.

"Sir!" One of the men guarding the exits called out sounding panicked. "The doors are shutting." Dimly the sound of mental on mental could be heard as the blast doors shut.

"Go open it." The man in charge roared causing both soldiers to scurry forward, "What have you done?" He was on Sam in seconds, back handing her across the cheek, sending her flying.

He moved towards her but Sam swept her long legs around and under his causing him to land heavily on the hard ground.

"Sir." The guards at the door next to Daniel raised their weapons and took aim but Daniel lashed out.

He lunged at the man closest to him causing his gun to go off, hitting his fellow gun toting friend square in the chest.

As Daniel grappled with him on the floor Sam pulled herself quickly to her feet and disarmed her attacker.

"You alright Daniel?" She called out.

Daniel managed roll on top of guard and was quietly satisfied when his first punch stunned the man and his second blow knocked him unconscious. He knew working out with Teal'c in the gym would pay off.

"I'm good." He wheezed, slightly breathless from his tussle. Daniel once again pushed himself to his feet and wondered how much more time he would spend on the floor today.

Sam offered him her hand and helped to pull him to his feet.

"You know you really had me going there for a minute." He told her, steadying himself with a hand on her shoulder.

"In another universe I must be an actress."

"Did you have to hit me?" Daniel whined.

"It was more authentic if I hit you Daniel."

He scowled a little glumly at her, "but I am sorry that I had to do it." She added hastily. A groan escaped from the fair haired man on the ground and Sam turned to him, gun raised.

"You better go see if the General's alright." She nodded in the direction of his office, never taking her eyes off the man before her.

"Right."

Daniel limped slightly from the room, rubbing his elbow. Throwing yourself at another man and the ground was a bad idea; Daniel grumbled to himself, he was going to have an interesting bruise in the morning. Daniel found General Hammond gagged and bound to his chair in his office. He seemed otherwise uninjured and extremely grateful to see Daniel.

&&&

"Did you hear that?" Jack turned to Teal'c.

"Of what do you speak?" Teal'c asked him confused.

"Do you hear a phone ringing?" Jack asked, puzzlement lining his face.

Both men stilled and listened past the shouts of the men and occasional gunfire.

"There. Did you hear it?"

"Indeed." Teal'c confirmed.

"Where the hell is that coming from?"

"I believe it is coming from Major Swanson's office." Teal'c answered.

Jack stared at him blankly,

"There." Teal'c pointed to a door 5 meters from them, it's door hanging from the hinges.

"Right, I knew that." Jack bluffed.

The ringing continued.

"Perhaps you should answer it O'Neill." Teal'c suggested when neither of them moved.

"I don't like talking on the phone." Jack answered huffily.

Teal'c stared at him,

"Alright, alright, give me some cover fire will you."

Teal'c nodded and raised his zat.

"On three. One, two, three."

Jack leapt over the table he was hidden behind and sprinted for the door. Once inside he propped the door back up as best as he could on it's busted hinges and approached the ringing phone.

Cautiously, picking it up as though it might bite him, he placed the earpiece gingerly to his ear.

"Helloooo."

"O'Neill." Jack blinked in surprise.

"Carter."

"We've regained control of the base computers."

"_We _have."

"Yes. Daniel and I. I've locked down all blast doors to restrict movement of your unwelcome guests."

"I hate to be the fly in your ointment Carter but won't that restrict our movement too." Jack pointed out.

"Your swipe cards should be working again."

"Ah." Jack nodded although no one could see him.

"They managed to make it to the next floor as well so I've closed the doors there too."

"Well… that's good, good work Carter." Jack added awkwardly.

"I've got to go, I have to talk to the General," She continued on, "By the way there's a man sneaking up on your position."

"What?" Jack asked startled, turning on heel and raising his gun.

"You guys have a serious amount of cameras in this place." Carter added, more to herself than him, "Best of luck anyway." She said before abruptly hanging up, damn woman had worse etiquette on the phone then Daniel did on the radio.

&&&

Sam winced again and glared at Doctor Fraser.

"Don't look at me like that, I finally manage to get you in working order and you go gallivanting off to save the base and injure yourself again." The petite Doctor scolded her.

Sam rolled her eyes to heaven and wondered how anyone got anything done on base with such a mother hen looking after them.

"It's a cut Doc, it'll heal in a couple of days."

Janet stepped back and continued to glare at her,

"It'll heal when I say it'll heal and you're not getting out of the infirmary sooner then that." She declared before continuing onto her next patient.

Sam stared at her retreating back in confusion, what the hell did that mean. She tried to frown but quickly abandoned the facial expression when it caused an acute pain to dart up the side of her face. She gingerly touched her bruised cheek and cut lip, she wouldn't be winning any beauty competitions for a while. She hated when men backhanded her, there was something intrinsically sexist about it.

"Hey Carter, how's the face?" Jack O'Neill appeared at the end of her bed, flanked by Daniel Jackson and Teal'c.

Daniel shot Jack a look and complemented her before she could tear a strip off O'Neill for his not so subtle comment.

"You look better, not so much…"

"Blood." She finished for him with a smile.

Daniel had over reacted after returning with the General; automatically presuming one of her older serious injuries had reappeared, when he noticed the bloods on her t-shirt.

"Yeah." Daniel ducked his head in embarrassment and Jack glanced between the two, lost by their strange exchange.

"I see Doc Fraser kicked you out of your private room." He changed the subject to one he could understand.

"Yeah, others need it more."

It was a day since the infiltration of the base came to a hasty end and Sam had 4 well-wishers to her bed before SG-1 made their appearance. These were people who only days before would barely make eye contact with her coming to check on her health. Just goes to show how saving one base can change attitudes.

"How's the clean up going?" She asked instead thinking it better not to look a gift horse in the month. If people were being nice to her she wasn't going to question it.

"All the men have been returned to their home world." Teal'c answered.

"More then they deserve." Jack muttered darkly.

"Aren't you worried they'll attack again?" Sam asked in surprise.

"Not really." Daniel seemed quite pleased with himself. "We've rigged their gate so they can't travel off world any more."

"I didn't know you could do that." Sam was puzzled.

"Actually we used their own technology against them, you see they have…"

"Ah…" Jack raised his hand, "I don't want to hear this conversation again Daniel."

He turned back to Sam, "Good to see you're still alive and kicking Carter now if you'll excuse us we have to do the rounds, can't visit one bed ridden patient without visiting them all."

"A Colonel's work is never done." Sam teased.

"Couldn't have said it better myself. I'll see you later Carter." Jack turned away and greeted a man on the opposite side of the room whose leg was in plaster, Daniel following in his wake.

Teal'c however hung back and moved around to the side of Sam's bed.

"I am most pleased to see you are well Samantha Carter." He told her

She couldn't help it; she blushed lightly at his serious and sincere tone.

"Thank you Teal'c."

"It would appear you have now gained the trust of many within the SGC." Sam blinked, surprised by the turn of the conversation.

"I guess."

"Have you given further thought to living off-world?"

"Well the General pretty much ok'd me moving to the Alpha site."

"I believe it would be a great loss to the SGC if you were to leave. Perhaps now you have changed the minds of those on base they will change yours and you will stay."

Sam stared down at her fingers, unwilling to hold Teal'cs steady gaze.

"I don't know Teal'c, it might still be better if I leave."

"As you wish Samantha Carter." He nodded his head solemnly, "may you have a speedy recovery." Sam smiled at him weakly before he left to join the rest of his team.

&&&

Sam arrived in the gate room to find Jack, Daniel and Teal'c waiting at the foot of the ramp.

Jack grinned at her, "Thought you'd never make it, Carter." Behind him the first chevron on the gate glowed red.

"Sorry I'm a bit late." She apologised absently as she adjusted the strap on her bag, "Forgot to bring something."

"Ignore him." Daniel spoke quietly to her so that Jack couldn't hear, "He's got this whole 'must be there 2 hours earlier then it starts' military thing."

"What was that Daniel?" Jack asked.

Daniel smiled at him the picture of innocence, "Nothing Jack."

Jack scowled at him not falling for it for a minute. Behind him the sixth chevron locked.

Teal'c stood next to Sam his eye focused on the ever-miraculous gate.

"I do not believe you will regret your decision." He spoke to her softly.

"I'm not so sure about that Teal'c" Sam held her breath as the gate burst into life, awed as ever by its beauty.

Above them General Hammond's voice came over the com.

"Sg-1 you have a go."

Jack turned back to grin at Sam, "You gotta like the sound of that." He exclaimed to her.

Sam glanced between the friendly faces of her new team, "It's growing on me."

Jack saluted somewhat sloppily to General Hammond before leading his team up the ramp.

Sam made one finally adjustment to her pack before starting up the ramp to another world and who knew what else.


End file.
